Monday, January 15, 2007 Security adviser seeks rejection of 'Reds' front groups' in polls
NATIONAL Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales hoped that left-leaning party-list groups that act as "front organizations" for the communist movement would be voted out by the people in the May 14 elections.
Gonzales said he wants the left-leaning party-list groups out of Congress before they can do real damage to the country's democracy.
"Yes, I wanted them disqualified, and until that is possible, I want them voted out by the people," he said adding that this is the reason why the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP), which he founded, and its affiliated party-list group Aksyon Sambayanan (AkSa) are "helping government expose the atrocities and grand deception of the local communist movement".
"Their entry to the party-list elections does not signify reform or moderation. They are merely manipulating the weaknesses of mainstream politics to pursue their dictatorial agenda," he said.
He also clarified that he nor the administration is not behind any extrajudicial killings of political activists as some party-list leaders like Representative Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna claimed.
He said Ocampo's "wild accusation" is probably an indication that PDSP and AkSa's grassroots-level information campaign against the communist movement is "hurting them very badly."
As this developed, AkSa, headed by it secretary general Beth Angsioco, would be running for party-list in May.
Aksa members would be meeting within the week to identify who would be the six candidates that they would field for the party-list seats.
Laguna Governor Dan Fernandez also announced his candidacy for governor under the PDSP banner Sunday.
Meanwhile, lawyer Oliver Lozano of the Kilusang Bagong Liwanag (KBL), party of former First Lady Imelda Marcos, sent a letter to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita assuring the Marcoses' cooperation with the government.
Lozano, lawyer of Marcos, said with Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats (CMD)-KBL unity coalition, the use of the Marcos wealth for the infrastructure and other public welfare programs of the government is also guaranteed.
In a letter dated January 10, Lozano also talked about his working in the past for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when she asked him to help in ensuring the surrender of Abu Sayyaf commander Ghalib Andang, alias Kumander Robot.
He said together with his wife, he went to Jolo to negotiate for Andang's surrender. He said Defense Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina and Zambales Representative Vic Magsasay are witnesses to this.
He added that he also responded to the call of Arroyo for a full and fair hearing on the allegations of the opposition against her when he filed a "preemptive impeachment." (JMR/Sunnex)
