Ako Bicol vows to support Aquino administration

MANILA, Philippines - The No. 1 party-list group, Ako Bicol or AKB, which its critics claim is a front of the former Arroyo administration, vowed yesterday to support President Benigno Aquino III.

“We are bound to support the government of President Aquino because he has the mandate of our people,” lawyer Rodel Batocabe, AKB’s second nominee, told a news forum in Quezon City.

“We have nothing to do with GMA,” he said, referring to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

AKB topped the party-list elections on May 10 with more than 1.5 million votes. Its chairman is billionaire contractor Zaldy Co, who is based in Legazpi City, Albay and who is reportedly close to Arroyo and her husband.

AKB’s first nominee is Co’s brother Christopher. Its third nominee is former Legazpi City councilor Alfredo Garbin Jr.

The militant party-list group Bayan Muna has filed a disqualification case against AKB, claiming it is a front of Arroyo, now a congresswoman representing Pampanga’s second district.

Bayan Muna filed another case against Alliance for National Democracy or ANAD, alleging it is also a dummy of the former president. ANAD denies the allegation.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now hearing these cases.

Garbin said the Comelec should not have entertained the complaint against AKB since it was filed after the May 10 elections when their group already won.

“This should be within the jurisdiction of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal,” he said.

He said in the case of representatives elected from congressional districts, “there are no pre-proclamation protests, while in our case, the Comelec is entertaining pre-proclamation complaints.”

“Rules should be applied uniformly, whether you are a district or party-list representative,” he added.

With the more than 1.5 million votes it obtained, AKB would be entitled to three representatives.

The Comelec has proclaimed several party-list groups as entitled to two congressional seats. These include Bayan Muna and An Waray.

It has announced that it would soon declare additional party-list winners.