Disqualification of party-list tagged in Negros judge's slay sought

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines  – Two militant groups are asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify the Abang Lingkod party-list, whose six members were tagged in the murder of Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles last April.

The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) urged the poll body to cancel the accreditation of Abang Lingkod, a group representing small farmers.

KMU-Negros spokesman Ronald Ian Evidente said Abang Lingkod should be disqualified from participating in next year’s elections because the party allegedly represents a gun-for-hire organization supported by landed families in Negros Occidental.

Evidente tagged the members of the group as human rights violators and exploiters of sugar workers.

The first nominee of Abang Lingkod is Joseph Stephen Paduano, also known as “Carapali Lualhati,” the national commander of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB).

The second nominee is incumbent Negros Occidental third district Board Member Patrick Leonard Lacson, son of former Negros Occidental governor Daniel Lacson Jr., who is now the chairman of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

Members of KMP-Negros picketed the Comelec office in Manila last week to call for the disqualification of the Abang Lingkod.

“Abang Lingkod’s attempt to join the party-list elections is an outright mockery of the party-list system,” KMP-Negros secretary general Greg Ratin said.

“It is totally revolting that the RPA-ABB, through the pseudo party-list Abang Lingkod, claims to be farmers representative when the truth is, they have evolved into a bandit group and private army of landlords, especially in areas where agrarian disputes exist,” Ratin added.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued subpoenas to alleged RPA-ABB members Jessie Daguia, Alejandro “Vincent” Capunong, and Eddie Fortunado, who are now under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila; Marvin Salve, vice commander of the RPA-ABB in the sixth district of Negros Occidental, and Gerald Tabujara. They were tagged as suspects in the killing of Arles.

Other suspects were Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez, and Emmanuel Medez, an administrative aide at the Ilog municipal government.

Lawyer Frank Britanico, spokesman for the Arles family, said they expect the DOJ to issue subpoenas to other suspects, Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr., Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara and Rustom Puro, unit commander of the RPA-ABB in sixth district.

Meanwhile, Lacson said his candidacy as representative of Abang Lingkod is not yet final.

“As far as the Comelec approval for us to participate (in the) party-list (election) is concerned, it is still uncertain,” he said.

Lacson said they will know by the middle of September if they have qualified as a party-list.