Piston: Ituloy na ang bilangan sa party-list

MANILA, Philippines – Hiniling ng isang party-list group ngayong Biyernes sa Commission on Elections na ipagpatuloy na ang bilangan ng mga boto para sa party-list at kumpirmahin ang kanilang desisyon na pagdidiskwalipika sa 12 party-list na hindi napatunayan ang kanilang kwalipikasyon.

Pinangunahan ni George San Mateo, national president ng Piston Partylist, ang panawagan sa Comelec upang  aniya’y maiwasan ang mga haka-hakang minamanipula ng poll body ang botohan.

"We would like to ask the National Board of Canvassers to immediately resume the canvassing for partylist votes to disprove speculations that the Comelec is cooking something at the expense of legitimate party-list organizations that are in contention for seats in congress," pahayag ni San Mateo.

Nitong Martes ay itinigil ng Comelec, na umuupo bilang national board of canvassers, ang bilangan sa partylist matapos kuwestyunin ng mga kinatawan ng iba’t ibang grupo kung bakit binibilang pa rin ang mga boto sa mga diskwalipikadong party-list.

Itinigil ng poll body ang bilangan para sa party-list kahit walang inilabas na mosyon.

"The disqualified partylists mostly backed by rich political families should no longer be in contention since the Comelec ruled negatively on their cases twice. Their disqualification would have been a step closer to giving these elections a tinge of credibility but their inclusion in the canvassing is a mockery of the partylist system," dagdag ni San Mateo.

Sinabi ni San Mateo na nananatiling may pinakamataas na boto ang Piston base sa transparency server ngunit napapailaliman ng mga grupong pinopondohan ng mga mayayaman at traditional politicians.

"As per the latest count, it is unlikely for the transport sector to get at least one seat because most of the frontrunners in the counting are the so-called partylist of the rich and powerful. Landlords, big businessmen, religious groups and traditional politicians are overwhelmingly leading the partylist race...The drivers are being denied entry to Congress to accommodate those who have the cash to win," hinaing ni San Mateo.

Binatikos din ni San Mateo ang kautusan ng Comelec na ipatigil ang pagpapalabas ng resulta mula sa transparency server.

Aniya kailangan pa rin mailathala o mailabas sa publiko ang mga resulta mula sa transparency server upang magkaroon ng ideya ang lahat kung ano ang kalalabasan ng opisyal na bilangan.

"The broadcast of results in the elections is a way to involve the people...Cancelling the broadcast of the transparency tally is equivalent to totally denying transparency in the elections," sabi ni San Mateo.