Abang Lingkod to troop to Comelec offices today

MEMBERS of the Negros based party list group, Abang Lingkod-1 DSWD are set to hold various activities to boost its chances to get accredited by the Comelec.

Ben Solilapsi, Secretary General of Abang Lingkod, said a synchronized trooping and dialog and submission of endorsements of support for the party will be held Thursday at the provincial Comelec offices of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Iloilo, Aklan and Antique.

The party’s first nominee is Stephen Paduano while Board Member Patrick Lacson is the second nominee.

Their members in Metro Manila will also hold a march rally from Rizal Park to Comelec national office.

Solilapsi said this is to counter the accusations of Kilusang Magbubukid Ng Pilipinas - Kilusang Mayo UNO that Abang Lingkod is a pseudo organization.

Here in Negros Occidental, Abang Lingkod is backed up by over 60,000 card bearing members from San Carlos City to Hinobaan and is officially endorsed by two major rural poor organizations: the Democratic Association of Labor Organizations (Dalo) and the Movement for Agrarian in Rural Advancement (Mara).

The problem of KMP and KMU and its allied organizations, Solilapsi said, is they are not tolerant to co-exist with other groups whose political beliefs are contrary to their belief.

"They should understand that we are living in a democratic country. We have to participate in this party list in this election for a simple reason that incumbent party lists who professed to be pro-poor like those allies of KMP and KMU in congress have never been true to their mandate to actually serving the marginalized sectors of our society whom they are supposed to represent. The real pseudo party lists are Bayanmuna and Anakpawis, allies of KMP and KMU. They only represent the CPP/NPA and not the marginalized sector," Solilapsi said.

Solilapsi added they are also contemplating on filing a libel case against the KMU and KMP spokesmen for causing Abang Lingkod as a party list a gun for hire group.

Abang Lingkod is a group that represents and advocates for the welfare of the farmers. (Teresa D. Ellera)