Comelec Proclaims New Party-list Groups

Rep. Liza Maza of women’s group Gabriela, said Comelec’s proclamation of Arroyo and Palparan “shows the shameless bastardizing of the party-list system by Malacañang.”

“Since when did they represent the marginalized and underrepresented sectors?”

She cited a SC decision where it declared “neither can the interest of those of the urban poor nor the working class be fully represented by an industrialist.”

She recalled the Gabriela exposé in 2007 of a confidential memorandum from Malacañang’s Office of External Affairs requesting P5.5 million from the Office of the President to finance pro-administration party-list groups.