Labor groups to Senate: Defer passage of NEA Reform Bill

NAGKAISA!

PRESS RELEASE

30 January 2013

  

With barely 4 session-days left, workers belonging to labor coalition Nagakaisa! trooped to the Senate this afternoon to urge feuding senators to defer passage of Senate Bill 3389 or the National Electrification Reform Bill authored by Sen. Serge Osmena on grounds that the proposed “step-in rights” to be granted to NEA is anti-democratic and anti-labor. 

Nagkaisa! members like the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines have organized unions in the country’s 119 electric cooperatives.

Josua Mata, one of Nagkaisa! convenors and the secretary general of APL denounced the Senate Bill as a Draconian measure as it grants NEA martial law powers to take over ailing ECs, replace the general manager, the entire board and even employees, appoint third persons in the board or a management team, and convert cooperatives into stock corporations.

This measure, he said, usurped the powers of the General Assembly – the highest policy-making body of the coop to decide on what options to take to make their utilities financially-viable and democratically-managed.

Louie Corral of TUCP said a close reading of the measure shows that it seeks to clothe the NEA with the same draconian powers, which for the past thirty years it has exercised over the country’s electric cooperatives. 

Section 4-B of SB 3389 states that the NEA shall have immediately step-in and take over from its Board the operations of any ailing electric cooperative, within a reasonable period after take-over, the NEA may convert the ailing cooperative to either a stock cooperative registered with the CDA or a stock corporation registered with the SEC. 

“This is privatization in the guise of reform,” said Mata, adding that with 90 percent of generation already privatized under EPIRA, big private powers now set their eyes on 9 million households connected with electric cooperatives.   Meralco has 5.5 million customer-base. 

PM chair Renato Magtubo echoed the same as the both the House and Senate versions aim at making electric cooperatives EPIRA-compliant. “Reform NEA is nothing but a privatization agenda of Osmena in the coops as explicitly provided under his bill,” said Magtubo. Osmena was also the author of EPIRA which for the past 10 years resulted to escalating rates and diminishing supply. ###

SC urged to resolve party-list row before ballots are printed

Press Release

PM COALITION

January 29, 2013

The newly formed workers party-list group Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM Coalition) held a rally today to urge the Supreme Court (SC) to resolve the party-list disqualification row before the official ballots are printed. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reiterated yesterday that ballots will be printed starting next Monday, February 4.

“It is in the interest of all parties, not just the party-list groups and the Comelec but most especially the voters, that the dispute over Comelec’s disqualification of party-list groups be settled with dispatch,” asserted Bong Palad, the group’s president and also secretary of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA).

In its en banc session last week, the SC gave due course to a motion from the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) for partial reconsideration asking to be given until last Friday to file a consolidated comment on behalf of the Comelec. Earlier on January 8, the SC did not act on PM Coalition’s petition for a temporary restraining order on the raffle of party-list names and printing of ballots and instead asked the Comelec to comment on a non-extendible deadline of five days.

PM Coalition has been staging weekly rallies at the SC as part of its “Party List Watch” to push for its petition asking the high court to overturn the Comelec’s disqualification. Today the rallyists brought a makeshift eye made of cardboard to symbolize the “Party List Watch.”

 “We call on the high court to finish the job of cleansing of the party-list system by affirming the disqualification of BOPALs or bogus party-lists but also correcting the mistakes of the Comelec such as not accrediting a legitimate workers group like PM Coalition based on a technicality. Comelec’s disqualification of PM Coalition is in contrast with its highly questionable accreditation of some BOPALs that seem to have a much lobby power,” averred Palad.

The Comelec's Second Division dismissed PM Coalition on the ground that it failed to comply with the requirements for registration as a “sectoral coalition.” But Palad insisted that even under Comelec Resolution No. 9366 – Rules on filing of petitions for registration – requirements under Section 6. Petition for Registration, Contents states that petitioner is only required to submit names, addresses, and representatives of sectoral parties or organizations affiliated with the petitioner, which affiliates need not be registered with the Commission, but have given their consent thereto. ###

“Party List Watch” continues at SC en banc session tomorrow

Media Advisory

PM COALITION

January 28, 2013

Contact Bong Palad @ 09165740596

“Party List Watch” continues at SC en banc session

WHAT:  Rally at Supreme Court en banc session

WHEN: Tomorrow, January 29, 10:00 am

WHERE: Supreme Court, Taft Ave. cor. Faura St.

DETAILS: The newly formed workers party-list group PM COALITION will hold another a rally at the Supreme Court (SC) as part of its “Party List Watch” and to press for a decision on its pending party-list motion for accreditation.

The group is urging the SC to resolve the party-list disqualification row “with dispatch” and expects a decision on the party list row in the en banc session tomorrow.

In its last en banc session, the SC gave due course to the Solicitor General’s motion for partial reconsideration asking to be given until last Friday to file a consolidated comment on behalf of the Comelec. Meanwhile the Comelec postponed the printing of ballots to February 4 which effectively meant that it will wait for a high court ruling on the party-list row.

Workers urge SC to resolve party-list row as OSG given extension

Press Release

PM COALITION

January 24, 2013

The newly formed workers party-list group Partido ng Mangggawa Coalition (PM Coalition) urged the Supreme Court (SC) to resolve the party-list disqualification row “with dispatch” as the high court gave due course to a motion from the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to file a comment.

Last Tuesday, PM Coalition held a rally at SC to push for its petition asking the high court to overturn the Comelec’s disqualification. The SC however tabled the OSG’s motion for partial reconsideration asking to be given until tomorrow to file a consolidated comment on behalf of the Comelec. In an en banc session last January 8, the SC did not act on PM Coalition’s petition for a temporary restraining order on the raffle of party-list names and printing of ballots but asked the Comelec to comment on a non-extendible deadline of five days.

“It is in the interest of all parties, not just the party-list groups and the Comelec, but the voters especially that the dispute over Comelec’s disqualification of party-list groups be settled by the next SC en banc session on January 29,” asserted Bong Palad, the group’s president and also secretary of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA).

PM Coalition welcomed the Comelec’s postponement of the printing of ballots to February 4 which effectively meant that it will wait for a high court ruling on the party-list issue. Comelec earlier said that its timetable precluded such a delay.

“We call on the high court to finish the job of cleansing of the party-list system by affirming the disqualification of BOPALs or bogus party-lists but also correcting the mistakes of the Comelec such as not accrediting a legitimate workers group like PM Coalition based on a technicality. Comelec’s disqualification of PM Coalition is in contrast with its highly questionable accreditation of some BOPALs that seem to have a much lobby power,” averred Palad.

The PM Coalition rallyists from affiliates PALEA, Samahan ng Manggagawa ng Paranaque and Zone One Tondo Organization bannered the call “Manggagawa Naman!” in its picket to express its advocacy for representation of workers in Congress and for labor issues to be put in the forefront of the national agenda.

The Comelec's Second Division dismissed PM Coalition on the ground that it failed to comply with the requirements for registration as a “sectoral coalition.” But Palad insisted that even under Comelec Resolution No. 9366 – Rules on filing of petitions for registration – requirements under Section 6. Petition for Registration, Contents states that petitioner is only required to submit names, addresses, and representatives of sectoral parties or organizations affiliated with the petitioner, which affiliates need not be registered with the Commission, but have given their consent thereto.

Workers group ask Supreme Court to rule on party-list petitions

Press Release

PM COALITION

January 22, 2013

Workers group asks Supreme Court to rule on party-list petitions

The newly formed workers party-list group PM Coalition held a rally at the Supreme Court today to appeal for a decision on pending party-list motions for accreditation. In particular PM Coalition is pushing for its petition asking the high court to overturn the Comelec’s disqualification.

Meanwhile the group welcomed the Comelec’s postponement of the printing of ballots to February 4 which effectively meant that it will wait for a high court ruling on the party-list issue. Comelec earlier said that its timetable precluded such a delay.

“We call on the Supreme Court to finish the job of cleansing of the party-list system by affirming the disqualification of BOPALs or bogus party-lists but also correcting the mistakes of the Comelec such as not accrediting a legitimate workers group like Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM Coalition) based on a technicality. Comelec’s disqualification of PM Coalition is in contrast with its highly questionable accreditation of some BOPALs that seem to have a much lobby power,” averred Bong Palad, the group’s president and also secretary of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA).

In an en banc session last January 8, the Supreme Court did not act on PM Coalition’s petition for a temporary restraining order on the raffle of party-list names and printing of ballots but asked the Comelec to comment on a non-extendible deadline of five days. As per PM Coalition’s information, the Comelec has not submitted a comment.

The PM Coalition rallyists from affiliates PALEA, Samahan ng Manggagawa ng Paranaque and Zone One Tondo Organization bannered the call “Manggagawa Naman!” in the picket today to express its advocacy for representation of workers in Congress and for labor issues to be put in the forefront of the national agenda.

The Comelec's Second Division dismissed PM Coalition on the ground that it failed to comply with the requirements for registration as a “sectoral coalition.” The decision states: "A careful perusal of the petition clearly shows that PM Coalition fell short of the requirement to be accredited as a sectoral coalition. While petitioner has extensively submitted documentary evidence to support its petition, it failed to consider a material requisite to seek registration as a coalition, that is, that its member organizations should be duly registered parties with this Commission."

Palad said the poll body took no serious effort in considering the group’s motion for reconsideration which clarified the matter. He explained that even under Comelec Resolution No. 9366 – Rules on filing of petitions for registration – requirements under Section 6. Petition for Registration, Contents states that petitioner is only required to submit names, addresses, and representatives of sectoral parties or organizations affiliated with the petitioner, which affiliates need not be registered with the Commission, but have given their consent thereto.

Workers party-list group to rally at Supreme Court

Media Advisory

PM COALITION

January 22, 2013

Contact Bong Palad @ 09165740596

Workers party-list group to rally at Supreme Court

WHAT:  Rally at Supreme Court en banc session

WHEN: Today, January 22, 10:00 am

WHERE: Supreme Court, Taft Ave. cor. Faura St.

DETAILS: The newly formed workers party-list group PM COALITION will hold a rally at the Supreme Court to appeal for a decision on pending party-list motions for accreditation. In particular PM Coalition is pushing for its petition asking the high court to overturn the Comelec’s disqualification.

In an en banc session last January 8, the Supreme Court did not act on PM COALITION’s petition for a TRO on the raffle of party-list names and printing of ballots but asked the Comelec to comment on a non-extendible deadline of 5 days. As per PM Coaltion’s information, the Comelec has not submitted a comment.

The PM COALITION rallyists will banner the call “Manggagawa Naman!” in the picket to express its advocacy for representation of workers in Congress and for labor issues to be put in the forefront of the national agenda.

Mall dev’t in Cavite stalled by community barricade

Press Release

January 20, 2013

Two bulldozers and two backhoes lie unused in a disputed lot near the municipal hall of GMA, Cavite as residents have barricaded their community to stop a mall from being built. For more than a week now some 60 families and vendors in Market Site, a depressed area, have been in protest at the planned eviction to give way to Lotus Mall.

Construction crew attempted to build a wall to enclose the development site but was resisted by the residents. In a confrontation last January 9, community leader Virginia Panahon was physically threatened using a bolo and also warned with arrest by the barangay captain. Since then residents and vendors have maintained a vigil to defend their community and livelihood.

Last December 18, some 100 residents and vendors marched from the Market Site to the municipal hall to demand a relocation site. Members of Samahan ng Naninirahan sa Market Sitewere joined by supporters from the Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM Coalition) and Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino in the protest. The dialogue with an official of the office of Mayor Leonisa “Ona” Virata yielded no result.

“The people want social progress with social justice. We appeal to be treated as human beings not rags that can be thrown when not needed. If our community is to be demolished then we demand decent relocation and financial assistance,’ declared Ramil Cangayao of the Cavite chapter of PM Coalition.

Since July this year, the community residents have been holding protests and negotiations with the National Housing Authority, which owns the open space sold to Lotus Mall, and the administration of Mayor Virata. But residents complain that they are being given the runaround. On November 19, the Sangguniang Bayan passed Resolution No. 0735-2012 approving the application of Lotus Mall to develop a commercial building at Market Site.

Cangayao added that “If there is any shred of good governance in the administration of Mayor Virata, then residents deserve transparency as to the local government’s plans about relocation. They keep on promising there is a relocation site but there are no details. We also want the implementation of the Office of the Court Administrators Circular No. 72-2003 mandating a financial assistance to relocatees amounting to 60 days times the minimum wage or a total of P19,628 per family.”

PM Coalition hopeful of SC nod as election season officially starts

PRESS RELEASE

Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition

13 January 2013

The partylist group Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition or PM Coalition is hoping to get the Supreme Court’s nod as election season officially starts this week.  The group has sought the High Court’s intervention after it was inadvertently disqualified by the Commission on Elections based on mere technicality.

Acting on the group’s petition, the Supreme Court last week has ordered the Comelec to submit its comment within a non-extendable five days.

“Compared with other groups whose status as ‘marginalized’ are being questioned, our case is simpler to resolve since it simply involves technicality,” argued PM Coalition Chair Ambrocio Palad. 

The Comelec's Second Division dismissed PM Coalition’s Petition on the ground that it failed to comply with the requirements for registration as a “sectoral coalition.” The decision states:

"A careful perusal of the petition clearly shows that PM Coalition fell short of the requirement to be accredited as a sectoral coalition. While petitioner has extensively submitted documentary evidence to support its petition, it failed to consider a material requisite to seek registration as a coalition, that is, that its member organizations should be duly registered parties with this Commission."

Palad said the poll body took no serious effort in considering the group’s motion for reconsideration which clarified the matter.   

He explained that even under Comelec Resolution No. 9366 – Rules on filing of petitions for registration – requirements under Section 6. Petition for Registration, Contents states that petitioner is only required to submit names, addresses, and representatives of sectoral parties or organizations affiliated with the petitioner, which affiliates need not be registered with the Commission, but have given their consent thereto.

Palad said his group has complied with all those requirements for registration and has filed timely motions to appeal its dismissal by the Comelec’s Second Division.

The group also wondered why it was disqualified by the poll body when in 2010 and even for the 2013, it allowed several groups bearing the names coalition.   They include1-United Transport Coalition (1-UTAK); Bagong Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Samahan sa Sektor ng Transportasyon (Bangon Tran); Koalisyon ng Katutubong Samahan sa Pilipinas (KASAPI); Alliance of Regional Coalitions Against People’s Poverty, Inc.; Ang National Coalition on Indigenous People’s Action (ANG NCIP); Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens in the Philippines, Inc. (SENIOR CITIZEN); Parent’s Enabling Parents Coalition  (PEP); and Piston Transport Coalition (PISTON).

Meanwhile, Partido ng Manggagawa chair and PM Coalition nominee Renato Magtubo expressed doubt on the capacity of the poll body to demobilize private armed groups to ensure a fairer and peaceful 2013 elections.

“Warlords, drug lords and gambling lords who maintain powerful private armed groups cannot be neutralized by half-serious periodic campaign. The campaign must be at all-time bold and thoroughgoing and must also be accompanied by major political reforms that ensure a leveled battle field between the rich and the poor,” said Magtubo.

Community barricade in GMA, Cavite continues on its 5th day

Press Release

January 13, 2013

Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino

Residents in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite have barricaded their community and the protest continue on it fifth day today to stop a real estate development. Some 60 families plus scores of vendors in Market Site, a depressed area near the municipal hall, are resisting the planned eviction to give way to Lotus Mall.

The situation has been tense since last Wednesday when construction crew attempted to build a wall to enclose the development site. In the confrontation, community leader Virginia Panahon was physically threatened using a bolo and also warned with arrest by the barangay captain. Since then residents and vendors have maintained a vigil to defend their community and livelihood. Last Friday police mobile cars were seen patrolling the community.

Last December 18, some 100 residents and vendors marched from the Market Site to the municipal hall to demand a relocation site. Members of Samahan ng Naninirahan sa Market Site were joined by supporters from the Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM Coalition) and Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino in the protest. The dialogue with an official of the office of Mayor Leonisa “Ona” Virata yielded no result.

“The people want social progress with social justice. We appeal to be treated as human beings not rags that can be thrown when not needed. If our community is to be demolished then we demand decent relocation and financial assistance,’ declared Ramil Cangayao of the Cavite chapter of PM Coalition.

Since July this year, the community residents have been holding protests and negotiations with the National Housing Authority, which owns the open space sold to Lotus Mall, and the administration of Mayor Virata. But residents complain that they are being given the runaround. On November 19, the Sangguniang Bayan passed Resolution No. 0735-2012 approving the application of Lotus Mall to develop a commercial building at Market Site.

Cangayao added that “If there is any shred of good governance in the administration of Mayor Virata, then residents deserve transparency as to the local government’s plans about relocation. They keep on promising there is a relocation site but there are no details. We also want the implementation of the Office of the Court Administrators Circular No. 72-2003 mandating a financial assistance to relocatees amounting to 60 days times the minimum wage or a total of P19,628 per family.”

Cangayao challenged the candidates in the coming elections to stand on the side of the urban poor residents. “Go beyond motherhood statements. In the real life struggle for a decent life and affordable housing, are the candidates on the side of the ordinary people or of rich developers?” he said. ###

Attached are photos of the December 18 rally

Community barricade in GMA, Cavite continues on its 5th day

Press Release


January 13, 2013

Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP)





Residents in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite have barricaded their community and the protest continue on it fifth day today to stop a real estate development. Some 60 families plus scores of vendors in Market Site, a depressed area near the municipal hall, are resisting the planned eviction to give way to Lotus Mall.



The situation has been tense since last Wednesday when construction crew attempted to build a wall to enclose the development site. In the confrontation, community leader Virginia Panahon was physically threatened using a bolo and also warned with arrest by the barangay captain. Since then residents and vendors have maintained a vigil to defend their community and livelihood. Last Friday police mobile cars were seen patrolling the community.



Last December 18, some 100 residents and vendors marched from the Market Site to the municipal hall to demand a relocation site. Members of Samahan ng Naninirahan sa Market Site were joined by supporters from the Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM Coalition) and Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino in the protest. The dialogue with an official of the office of Mayor Leonisa “Ona” Virata yielded no result.



“The people want social progress with social justice. We appeal to be treated as human beings not rags that can be thrown when not needed. If our community is to be demolished then we demand decent relocation and financial assistance,’ declared Ramil Cangayao of the Cavite chapter of PM Coalition.



Since July this year, the community residents have been holding protests and negotiations with the National Housing Authority, which owns the open space sold to Lotus Mall, and the administration of Mayor Virata. But residents complain that they are being given the runaround. On November 19, the Sangguniang Bayan passed Resolution No. 0735-2012 approving the application of Lotus Mall to develop a commercial building at Market Site.



Cangayao added that “If there is any shred of good governance in the administration of Mayor Virata, then residents deserve transparency as to the local government’s plans about relocation. They keep on promising there is a relocation site but there are no details. We also want the implementation of the Office of the Court Administrators Circular No. 72-2003 mandating a financial assistance to relocatees amounting to 60 days times the minimum wage or a total of P19,628 per family.”



Cangayao challenged the candidates in the coming elections to stand on the side of the urban poor residents. “Go beyond motherhood statements. In the real life struggle for a decent life and affordable housing, are the candidates on the side of the ordinary people or of rich developers?” he said. ###



Attached are photos of the December 18 rally

Advisory: Barricade vs. demolition in GMA, Cavite

Media Advisory

January 12, 2013
Contact Ramil Cangayao @ 09499797400


WHAT: Ongoing barricade against eviction attempt

WHERE: Market Site (near municipal hall) in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite
DETAILS: Ongoing barricade and protest by community residents in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite to stop real estate development. Some 60 families plus scores of vendors in Market Site (near municipal hall) resist planned eviction to give way to Lotus Mall.
The situation has been tense since last Wednesday when construction crew attempted to build a wall to enclose the development site. In the confrontation, community leader Virginia Panahon was physically threatened using a bolo and also warned with arrest by the barangay captain. Since then residents and vendors have maintained a vigil to defend their community and livelihood. Yesterday police mobile cars were seen patrolling the community.
Last December 18, some 100 residents and vendors marched from the Market Site to the municipal hall to demand a relocation site. Members of Samahan ng Naninirahan sa Market Site were joined by the Cavite chapter of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino in the protest. The dialogue with an official of Mayor’s office yielded no result.

Advisory: Protest vs. demolition in GMA, Cavite

Media Advisory

January 11, 2013

Partido ng Manggagawa

Contact Ramil Cangayao @ 09499797400

Protest vs. demolition in GMA, Cavite

Ongoing barricade and protest by community residents in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite to stop real estate development. Some 60 families plus scores of vendors in Market Site (near municipal hall) resist planned eviction to give way to Lotus Mall.

The situation has been since last Wednesday when an attempt was made to a build a wall to enclose the development site. In the confrontation, community leader Virginia Panahon was physically threatened using a bolo and also warned with arrest by the barangay captain. Since then residents and vendors have maintained a vigil to defend their community and livelihood.

Last December 18, some 100 residents and vendors marched from the Market Site to the municipal hall to demand a relocation site. Members of Samahan ng Naninirahan sa Market Site were joined by the Cavite chapter of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino in the protest. The dialogue with an official of Mayor’s office yielded no result.

Attached are photos of the march.

PM Coalition appeals to Supreme Court for reversal of disqualification

Press Release

PM COALITION

January 8, 2013

As the Supreme Court (SC) holds its first en banc session for the year, the newly formed workers party-list Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM COALITION) appealed to the high court to reverse the “erroneous” decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualifying the group.

PM COALITION has learned that among the agenda of the en banc session is its petition for certiorari and urgent motion. Unlike some other disqualified party-list groups, PM COALITION has not yet secured relief from the SC since today’s session will be the first opportunity for justices to discuss its petition and motion.

Last December 21, PM COALITION filed a petition with the SC seeking its accreditation as a party-list and a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the Comelec’s raffle of party-list  names and the printing of ballots. A day before the scheduled raffle, PM COALITION also filed last January 3 an omnibus motion asking for a special raffle on its petition and praying for inclusion in the raffle as an alternative to the TRO it earlier sought.

Yesterday, some 60 PM COALITION members such as unionists of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), laborers from the Samahan ng Manggagawa sa Paranaque and informal workers from Zone One Tondo Organization (ZOTO) picketed the Padre Faura office of the SC to push for its party-list accreditation. Some of the rallyists dressed up as mechanics and while others held up toilet plungers to signify the group’s advocacy of representing the labor sector and cleansing the party-list system.

Bong Palad, PM COALITION president and secretary of PALEA, averred that “We ask the Supreme Court to be the court of last resort and remedy the erroneous decision of the Comelec on disqualifying a group that is truly representative of the labor sector. Palpak ang Comelec sapagkat inaccredit pa rin nila ang mga BOPAL (bogus party-lists) habang dinisqualify naman ang ibang lehitimo gaya ng PM COALITION.”

PM Coalition cited Rule 64 in its petition which allows review of decisions of constitutional commission bodies. The group is protesting why a truly marginalized group and whose nominees  possess laudable track records in serving the working class is denied accreditation by the Comelec while highly questionable groups got blind approval.

“Our coalition is composed of truly marginalized sector, the working class, and our nominees have indisputable track records as veteran leaders of big trade unions and labor organizations,” argued Palad, a long-time trade union leader.

PM Coalition nominees include labor leader Renato Magtubo, PALEA president Gerry Rivera, Public Services Labor Independent Confederation Annie Geron, Central Negros Electric Cooperative union president Benjamin Tundag, and Philadelfa Burdeos, former president of the BPI union in Cagayan De Oro City. Palad said several unions and labor associations nationwide coalesced into PM Coalition to boost their chances of winning in the 2013 elections.  A party or a coalition of sectoral groups is allowed under the party-list law.

Workers group rally at Supreme Court to seek accreditation as party-list

Press Release

PM COALITION

January 7, 2013

The newly formed workers party-list group Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM COALITION) held a rally this morning at the Supreme Court to push for its petition asking the high court to overturn the Comelec’s disqualification. The SC is set to hold its first en banc session for the year tomorrow and may act on the petition then.

Bong Palad, PM COALITION president and secretary of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), said that “We appeal to the Supreme Court to be the court of last resort and remedy the erroneous decision of the Comelec on disqualifying a group that is truly representative of the labor sector. The Comelec had made a mess of the so-called cleansing of the party-list system by still accrediting numerous BOPALS (bogus party-lists).”

Some 60 members of PM COALITION joined the rally with some dressed up as workers holding brooms to signify the group’s advocacy of representing the labor sector and cleansing the party-list system.

PM COALITION also asked in its petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the printing of ballots scheduled this January. In an additional motion PM COALITION sought a mandatory injunction to be included in the Comelec raffle of party list groups.

In an omnibus motion filed last January 3, PM Coalition also asked the SC to hold a special raffle for the petition the group earlier filed seeking to overturn the Comelec’s disqualification and to facilitate action on the TRO that it sought.

PM COALITION filed a petition with the SC before the holiday break after it was disqualified based on mere technicality and the poll body’s misinterpretation of the law. The group hopes it will get relief from the high tribunal after submitting substantial evidence supporting its petition for certiorari and eventual qualification as a legitimate party-list group.  

In the assailed Comelec resolution denying the accreditation of PM Coalition, the poll body states:

“A careful perusal of the petition clearly shows that PM Coalition fell short of the requirement to be accredited as a sectoral coalition. While petitioner has extensively submitted documentary evidence to support its petition, it failed to consider a material requisite to seek registration as a coalition, that is, that its member organizations should be duly registered parties with this Commission.”

Palad said this particular Comelec resolution “was highly irregular and questionable” and therefore the offended party must be given due course before the poll body conducts the final printing of ballots.

“The Comelec’s half-serious purging of the partylist system has disqualified many groups but at the same time allowed many spurious groups and parties with no substantial qualifications to remain in the race,” he insisted.

Media Advisory: Workers group to rally at Supreme Court, ask to be qualified as party-list

Media Advisory

PM COALITION

January 6, 2013

WHAT: PM COALITION to hold rally

WHEN: Tomorrow, January 7, 10:00 am

WHERE: Supreme Court, Taft Ave. cor. Faura St.

DETAILS: The newly formed workers party-list group PM COALITION will hold a rally at the Supreme Court to push for its petition asking the high court to overturn the Comelec’s disqualification. The SC is set to hold an en banc session on Tuesday and may act on the petition then.

PM COALITION also asked in its petition for a temporary restraining order on the printing of ballots scheduled this January. In an additional motion PM COALITION sought a mandatory injunction to be included in the Comelec raffle of party list groups.

The PM COALITION rallyists will banner the following calls in the picket:

1. Supreme Court: Qualify PM COALITION as partylist, Give representation to workers in Congress

2. Party list: Para sa tao di para sa trapo

3. Workers = marginalized group; PM COALITION = genuine party-list

4. Bigyan ng boses ang manggagawa sa Kongreso

5. Totohanang paglilinis ng partylist, tanggalin LAHAT ng pekeng grupo

Workers’ coalition files motion at Supreme Court for inclusion in party list raffle today

Press Release

PM Coalition

January 4, 2013

  

The newly formed workers group Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM Coalition) filed yesterday afternoon with the Supreme Court an urgent omnibus motion to seek its inclusion in the scheduled raffle of party list organizations this afternoon. The Comelec had announced that the raffle will proceed today despite an earlier call by PM Coalition to defer it to give way to the SC’s action on petitions by disqualified party-list groups.

In the omnibus motion, PM Coalition also asked the SC to hold a special raffle for the petition the group earlier filed seeking to overturn the Comelec’s disqualification and to facilitate action on the temporary restraining order (TRO) that it sought. In its petition, PM Coalition requested for a TRO on the party list raffle and printing of ballots. But in the motion filed yesterday, the group asked for inclusion in the raffle as an alternative to a TRO.

The PM Coalition went to the SC Court before the holiday break to seek remedy after it was disqualified based on mere technicality and the poll body’s misinterpretation of the law.  

 The SC justices, however, are set to resume their session on January 8, their first session of the year.  But before it went into break on December 11, the En Banc issued status quo ante orders (SQAO) for another batch of 19 partylist groups that were previously disqualified by the Comelec. 

The group hopes that it will get the same reprieve from the high tribunal after submitting substantial evidence supporting its petition for certiorari and eventual qualification as a legitimate partylist group.  

In the assailed Comelec resolution denying the accreditation of PM Coalition, the poll body states:

“A careful perusal of the petition clearly shows that PM Coalition fell short of the requirement to be accredited as a sectoral coalition. While petitioner has extensively submitted documentary evidence to support its petition, it failed to consider a material requisite to seek registration as a coalition, that is, that its member organizations should be duly registered parties with this Commission.”

PM Coalition president and PALEA secretary Bong Palad said this particular Comelec resolution “was highly irregular and questionable” and therefore the offended party must be given due course before the poll body conducts the raffle and the final printing of ballots.

“Many were aware of the fact that the Comelec’s half-serious purging of the partylist system has disqualified many groups but at the same time allowed many spurious groups and parties with no substantial qualifications to remain in the race.  This is truly unjust and unfair for a legitimate sectoral group such as the PM Coalition,” argued Palad.