Ocampo, Maza to run as independent bets

THE inclusion of two militant legislators in the ticket of Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar could have added spice to his senatorial lineup had it not been for Villar’s recent alliance with the Marcoses.

On Tuesday Party-list Reps. Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza of Bayan Muna and Gabriela, respectively, announced that they are running as independent candidates in the 2010 elections.

Last week Ocampo’s and Maza’s groups were in the final phase of talks with Villar on the possibility of being guest candidates in the NP senatorial ticket.

However, the formal alliance between the NP and the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) and the declaration of Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of Ilocos Norte of his senatorial candidacy under the alliance became a stumbling block to this possibility.

Ocampo said that during a meeting of the Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan on Tuesday, it formalized Ocampo’s and Maza’s decision not to pursue their guest candidacy under the NP.

“At this point, doing otherwise would compromise our stand on the issue of recovering the Marcos family’s ill-gotten wealth and compensating the human-rights violation victims of the Marcos dictatorship. These are issues that are very important to us, and require closure. It would be a grave injustice to the Filipino people to ignore or gloss over them for the sake of political expediency,” said Ocampo.

Ocampo and Maza were among those who were politically persecuted during the martial-law era.

“We are particularly concerned that through the NP-KBL alliance, which was formalized last week through a signed document titled “Covenant of Alliance,” the moribund party that was founded by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and which supported and benefited from his 20-year fascist rule, has been resurrected and put on equal footing with the NP—a party whose existence, in fact, was virtually obliterated by Marcos’s one-man, one-party dictatorship,” Ocampo said.

He acknowledged that running independently under the Makabayan coalition would be hard and will pose great challenges.

“But we are ready to meet those challenges,” Ocampo said.

Nevertheless, Ocampo said, his group and that of Maza and other militant legislators will continue to engage Villar and other presidential aspirants in the opposition in a dialogue on their platforms and programs.

Noynoy welcomed by protest

IN the City of San Fernando in Pampanga, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, presidential bet of the Liberal Party (LP), was welcomed by protesters in front of the capitol.

“Senators Noynoy at Mar [Roxas], nagkamali kayo kay Panlilio.”

This was the statement made by protesters that welcomed the LP group, headed by Aquino and vice- presidential bet Sen. Mar Roxas II, at the capitol yesterday.

The LP delegation also visited Angeles City, City Hall of San Fernando, and then held a short program at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.

Vice Gov. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao, whose family is close to the Aquinos, was in his office and did not show up at the LP program.

The almost 100 protesters who aired their sentiments against Aquino’s, alliance with Gov. Eddie Panlilio denounced the alleged mismanagement of the province by the governor.

The protesters also demanded the resignation of Panlilio and provincial administrator Vivian Dabu.

Men wearing yellow T-shirts emblazoned with “Noynoy Aquino for President Movement” blocked the Arnedo Park in front of the capitol, where the protesters staged a small rally.

Ebdane gets labor group’s backing

ANOTHER group of workers has expressed support for the prolabor agenda of presidential aspirant Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., whose platform of government centers on improving the plight of laborers through a “living wage.”

Party-list Rep. Renato Magtubo of Anakpawis, Partido ng Manggagawa chairman, said his group welcomes “any candidate who will come forward with a solid agenda and platform for the rights and welfare of the working class.”

Magtubo said Ebdane’s decision to tackle labor problems would inspire workers to fight for their rights and to demand a just and healthy working environment for them.

“It’s high time workers demand for regular jobs, right to unionize, collectively bargain, and to strike effective labor justice system, and right to living wage are seriously addressed,” he stressed.

Magtubo, however, acknowledged that while these things, however, are easily said than done, “discussing them as an electoral platform in the forthcoming elections is already a good start.”

Local political party in Bulacan

ON Monday Bulacan’s new local political party, Partido del Pilar, was relaunched with a general assembly at the provincial gymnasium.

Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza was named chairman of its governing board, while his sister, former governor Josefina “Josie” de la Cruz, was elected president.

De la Cruz explained that the party was organized in 2003, and is already recognized by the Commission on Elections, but it is only now that it will field a complete lineup of candidates for local elective posts in Bulacan.

(With J. Mapiles and R. Lazaro)