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Joma Sison predicts admin will cheat in 2010 polls
By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer Visayas
First Posted 20:01:00 10/24/2009
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20091024-232064/Joma-Sison-predicts-admin-will-cheat-in-2010-polls
ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Faced with a presidential candidate trailing
in popularity polls, the Arroyo administration will likely support other
candidates or engage in massive electoral fraud to avoid prosecution
after the President Macapagal-Arroyo’s term ends, exiled Leftist leader
Jose Maria Sison said on Saturday.
In a message to the 8th National Congress of the Bagong Alyansang
Makabayan (Bayan) held here on October 23-24, the Netherlands-based
Sison said that while the administration has given up plans to amend
the Constitution to stay in power, he cited opposition fears that the
administration will instigate a failure of elections to allow it run a
caretaker government.
"It is more likely that the Arroyo ruling clique will favor its own slate of
candidates under the banner of Lakas-Kampi and will put side bets on
one or more presidential and on lower-position candidates who belong
to other parties in a scheme to get their support for the non prosecution
and condonation of Arroyo, her family and cronies for their crimes of
plunder and human rights violations," Sison said
The Bayan congress was attended by around 200 delegates coming
from 15 regional chapters and national sectoral organizations.
Founded in 1985 at the height of the anti-Marcos struggle, Bayan is
composed of militant organizations of farmers, workers, women, youth
and professionals, among others.
Sison's statement was issued amid continuing reports of Lakas-Kampi
members defecting to the Nacionalista Party in support of the presidential
candidacy of Sen. Manuel Villar.
Villar has repeatedly said that he is not an administration candidate but
would welcome those coming from the administration to support him.
Sison said that despite many candidates presenting themselves as alternatives
to the Arroyo administration, they have not put forward "comprehensive
political statements or political programs that present the basic political,
socio-economic, cultural and ecological problems of the people and offer
basic reforms to be taken."
But the Left sees a bigger role in next year's elections, according to Dr.
Carol Pagaduan-Araullo, Bayan chair.
"We expect that the presidential candidate who will be elected will win
by a plurality vote because of the number of candidates. The Left with
our mass base could be a swing vote," Araullo told the Inquirer.
She said militant organizations will push for concrete programs to address
social injustice, human rights violations, damage brought by disasters and
lack of livelihood.
Militant party-list groups under the Makabayan coalition will field from two
to three senatorial candidates while maintaining or increasing eight seats
in the House of Representatives.
In an earlier interview, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, one of those
being eyed to run for the Senate, said they will also coalesce with and
possibly support a presidential candidate from the opposition.
Makabayan will bank on its members and allies to deliver votes estimate
to reach around three million based on the total votes garnered by the
party-list groups in the 2007 elections.
It will also field or support candidates for local positions.
Among the candidates it will support are Iloilo City Vice Mayor Jed Patrick
Mabilog, who is running against chief presidential legal counsel Raul Gonzalez,
a staunch administration ally, for this city's mayoral post in the 2010 elections.
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