After ANAD disqualification, Alcover: I may join reds again

CEBU, Philippines - Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) Party-list Rep. Pastor Alcover Jr. yesterday threatened to stage a hunger strike should the group be disallowed to participate in Monday’s elections.

If worse comes to worst, Alcover, a former rebel leader, threatened to rejoin the rebel movement.

Alcover was reacting to the decision of the Commission on Elections upholding the disqualification of ANAD and 11 other party-list groups which are among the 39 groups whose cases were remanded to the poll body by the Supreme Court.

“In my personal capacity I’m willing to sacrifice, I will stage a hunger strike in order to protest this immoral and illegal act committed by the Comelec. I’m willing to die for this cause,” Alcover said.

His doctor has reportedly advised him not to do because of his illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

In a press conference yesterday, Alcover said that they are used to facing disqualification cases since the past elections.

“Naanad na mi ani kay wala’y election nga di gyud ipa-disqualify. This is the price you have to pay in fighting for an advocacy,” Alcover said.

He said ANAD is the only party-list in the country actively advocating for the promotion of genuine democracy and exposing the evils of communism.

Alcover warned that communism is now influencing Malacañang, Congress, Supreme Court and Comelec.

The election watchdog group Kontra Daya has asked Comelec to uphold the disqualification of 39 party-list groups it had earlier barred from running this mid-term election.

It was Kontra Daya who earlier pushed that ANAD should be disqualified without the need for Comelec to conduct a summary evidentiary hearing even after the SC issued new guidelines which allowed non-marginalized groups to join the partylist race.

Alcover said that Kontra Daya is another legal front of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

After its public pronouncement which singled out ANAD to be disqualified, Alcover said the Comelec issued a resolution disqualifying ANAD Partylist arbitrarily by grossly violating its right to due process and in blatant disobedience to the SC’s resolution that summary hearings be conducted to give a fair chance and opportunity to be heard.

ANAD is now appealing to “all peace and democracy loving Filipino people to make a stand and support the ANAD Partylist in protecting and preserving the true spirit of democracy.”

“Is this how democracy works in our country?” asked ANAD second nominee Baltaire Balangauan.

ANAD also appealed the church leaders and to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in upholding democracy in the country.

Alcover said that their legal team is now preparing whatever action they will take once they get an official copy of the Comelec resolution. —/BRP (FREEMAN)