Gabriela submits party-list nominees

PARTY-LIST organization Gabriela Women's Party (GWP) has submitted the names of their nominees hoping to serve as party-list representatives in the 15th Congress.

Accompanied by their supporters, the three nominees of GWP filed their certificate of acceptance to represent the party-list group before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Wednesday.

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“We went public in filing because we have nothing to hide. Our years of experience inside and outside Congress made our party and nominees legitimate and credible voice of the marginalized sector,” stated GWP's first nominee Luzviminda Ilagan.

Ilagan currently occupies one of the two seats of the group in the 14th Congress. Liza Maza, who is pursuing a senatorial bid in the coming elections, is the other representative.

Aside from Ilagan, other nominees are Emmi de Jesus and Gabriela-National Capital Region chair Sheila Ferrer.

De Jesus is a Gabriela activist since the 1980's and is known for her contribution in the fight to end violence against women and against foreign military intervention in the country, the group said.

Party-list groups have until March 26 to submit their list of nominees to the commission.

The party-lists would have to attain at least two percent of the total votes in the coming polls to secure one House seat.

A recent Pulse Asia pre-election survey showed that Gabriela ranked fourth out of all the party-list groups.

The top five party-list organizations are Bayan Muna (8.0), One Angat Pilipino (6.3), Anak Pawis (5.9), Gabriela (5.6), and Akbayan Citizens Action Party (5.1).

The Gabriela nominees on Wednesday also challenged bogus party-lists to present its nominees and their platforms early.

“If they genuinely represent the marginalized sectors like they claim to, we challenge those reported ‘fake’ party-list groups to present their platform and nominees like we did today (Wednesday). Why don't they bring out in the open their group and nominees' background and record of involvement so that the public can examine them?" said Ilagan.

Poll watchdogs Kontra Daya 2010 and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) recently warned against fake organizations running under the party-list system.

Gabriela added that they believe some groups are backed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“We have strong reasons to believe that the party-list system is being used by bogus groups to field candidates that would only ensure President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's reign in power once they are seated in the lower house, in the process crowding out legitimate groups that truly represent and serve the marginalize,” said Ilagan. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)