Satur to FM kin: No excuse for HR violations

NO matter what it takes, there is no excuse for violation of human rights, and it can never be forgotten, Party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna told Ilocanos when he met with his supporters in Ilocos Norte in the capital city of Laoag.

Ocampo, who is running for senator, pushed for “politics of change” and the introduction of reforms for good governance by enlarging the representation of the marginalized sectors in the Senate.

He said: “I don’t have a personal grudge against the Marcos children,” but added that he “cannot abandon the more than 9,500 victims of torture, killings and disappearances” during former President Ferdinand Marcos’s imposition of martial law.

Ocampo said the present government should finally resolve and settle the compensation due to the human-rights violation victims.

According to Ocampo, the bill pending in Congress that provides a P10-billion compensation to the victims should finally be approved and be distributed.

Like former First Lady Imelda Marcos, Ocampo said the Marcos children had been stressing the fact that no member of the family has been convicted in the various cases filed against them by previous administrations.

However, Ocampo said, there has been judgment in court that the Marcoses amassed ill-gotten wealth, during the Marcos administration, and “there should be a closure once justice is served to victims.”

“If they [Marcoses] won’t admit and won’t apologize, then nothing happens,” said Ocampo.

Villar welcomes Satur Ocampo, Liza Maza to NP slate

Nacionalista Party (NP) President and standard-bearer Sen. Manny Villar on Monday formally welcomed Ocampo and Liza Maza and as the party’s guest senatorial candidates.

At a news conference at the Quezon City Sports Club, Villar said the two militant lawmakers’ inclusion in the NP’s senatorial slate bolstered the party’s propoor campaign platform.

“Ka Satur and Liza Maza are two known champions in the advancement of the rights of the underprivileged. They have devoted their lives in fighting for the interests of the working class, the peasants, our women, our fisherfolk and the urban poor,” Villar said.

“It is, therefore, with great honor that I stand side by side with them today, knowing now without a doubt that we have a synergy of ideals and principles.”

Villar said he, the party and the two militant lawmakers share common advocacies in the areas of agriculture and rural development; agrarian reform; environment and disaster preparedness; delivery of social services; human rights and justice; and good governance and public accountability.

Party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna said Maza and Ocampo are running under the multisectoral banner of Makabayan, and have agreed to a mutual adoption and support with Villar and his running mate Sen. Loren Legarda, who was present during the event.

Casiño, Ocampo’s campaign manager, said the mutual endorsement was historic, as it was the first time militant organizations have endorsed candidates for president and vice president.

The inclusion of the two completes the slate of NP in next year’s polls. The other senatorial candidates of the party are reelectionist Sens. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. as guest candidates; Sen. Pia Cayetano; Kilusang Bagong Lipunan Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of Ilocos Norte; retired Marine Col. Ariel Querubin; Adel Tamano; Susan “Toots” Ople; Gwendolyn “Gwen” Pimentel; Ramon “Mon-Mon” Mitra and former Cavite congressman Gilbert Remulla.

Noynoy’s lead drops

IN the first opinion survey after the December 1 deadline for election candidates to register, the Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate, Sen. Benigno Aquino III, once formidable lead has “significantly dropped” to a single digit, while administration candidate Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro surged to a double-digit mark for the first time since entering the race.

The poll conducted by the Issues and Advocacy Center (The Center) from December 2 to 6, saw Villar of the NP cutting Aquino’s lead to seven points by improving to 24 percent. Aquino’s 31-percent rating was described as a “stationary dive” in The Center’s tracking survey but he continues to lead in the super regions—National Capital Region (36 percent), Luzon (31 percent), the Visayas (26 percent) and Mindanao (33 percent).

The Center interviewed 1,200 respondents pro-rated to the number of voters in the 2007 midterm polls, with a margin of error of plus-minus 2.8 percent and a confidence level of 95 percent, according to its director, Ed Malay.

The other significant movements were Teodoro’s climb to 10 percent on the strength of his bold decisions on the Maguindanao massacre and his impressive showing in two presidential debates, and former President Joseph Estrada’s 19 percent as he bounced back from last October’s survey. Sen. Richard Gordon also began to make his presence felt with 8 percent.

“Former defense secretary Gibo Teodoro benefited from the positive reviews that he has been generating from the public debates among the presidential aspirants,” Malay explained.

Reacting to The Center’s survey, Lakas-Kampi-CMD Rep. Mitos Magsaysay of Zambales said Teodoro has excited crowds and gathered growing support on a truly national scale, shifting the momentum in his drive to the presidency.

Magsaysay said it can no longer be denied that Teodoro has become an irresistible force of his own. “He has been mobbed by adoring crowds of students, nongovernment organization members and local leaders,” Magsaysay observed. “We can feel the crowd’s excitement. Every time he addresses a crowd, people are drawn to him. His candidacy is definitely taking off.”