Malacanang desperate as it Mobilizes Pseudo-Partylist in its Defense Against Truth

The women’s partylist group Gabriela criticized today moves  spearheaded by a pseudo-partylist group, Babae Ka to discredit NBN-ZTE  witness Rodolfo Jun Lozada.

“The cases filed by Babae Ka against Jun Lozada are meant to harass  him and and his family into silence. This is a move that benefits only  those that have been accused of large-scale corruption and bribery in  the senate investigations. This is a move to protect Mrs. Arroyo and the first family,” said Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Liza Maza.

“We have known all along that Babae Ka is a Malacanang stooge. They  were used by Malacanang in the elections to confuse women voters, but  failed. Now, apparently they are once more being used by Mrs. Arroyo
in a smear  campaign against Lozada. That Malacanang is once more mobilizing  losers with dubious connections in its defense speaks only of its desperation,” chided Maza.

Last 2007 elections, Gabriela exposed a Palace memorandum citing Babae  Ka as one of the administration-funded and -supported partylists. Sally Dagami, its chairperson, was reportedly a former Kaibigan ni GMA  coordinator, while a certain Nerissa Garcia, Executive Director of  Malacanang’s Office of External Affairs, is a standing member of the said group.

Gabriela filed a disqualification case against Babae Ka and three  other partylist groups alleged as Malacanang-backed groups in May  2007. The Commission on Elections dismissed the case citing Babae Ka’s  loss in the partylist elections as basis.

Babae ka! was also reportedly a member of the Malayang Babae para sa Cha Cha at Reporma (MELCHORA) which is affiliated with the Sigaw ng Bayan group, a Pro Charter Change and Pro-Peoples Initiative group
headed by Raul Lambino Jr. which is allegedly organized by the OEA and  DILG.

“The first family and their allies have already been exposed for their  insatiable greed for power and money. Moves to discredit Lozada will  not in any way affect the strength of his testimony. Nor will it cause  the snowballing calls for Mrs. Arroyo’s removal from office to dwindle.”