Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno today challenged Malacanang counsel Atty. Romulo Macalintal to substance to his threat of suing groups.
Macalintal asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to file charges against individuals caught ‘spreading unverified rumors of no-election scenarios.’
KMU chairperson Elmer Labog said, “Malacanang now wants to resort to curtailment of freedom of expression to quell all dissenters and critics of the administration. We are not spreading rumors, we just analyze the facts and give our opinions, and based on what we see from the President’s political body language, we believe that she indeed, has plans to impair the May elections and stay in power beyond June 2010.”
‘With regards to the public’s lack of trust in Comelec’s capacity to run the Automated Election Systems (AES) effectively, it is of Comelec’s own doing why the public has very low confidence in the AES.”
He added, “failure of elections could mean anything – no voting, partial voting, massive disenfranchisement of voters, bogging down of PCOS machines, technical errors in transmission and counting of votes, irregularities, etc. The AES system is so vulnerable, one can really think that it was designed to fail,” Labog said.
On peaceful transition
Meanwhile, former labor leader and Anakpawis Rep. Joel Maglunsod gave Mrs. Arroyo three challenges to prove that she intends to step down and allow peaceful transition once her term ends. First, do not appoint a Chief Justice, to prove that she’s ready to face all charges and will not escape criminal liabilities; second, remove Gen. Delfin Bangit as AFP Chief to allay fears of a military junta and lastly, withdraw her bid for a congressional post in the 2nd District of Pampanga to diminish tales about her wanting to be the next House Speaker and Prime Minister.”
“If the President does all these then Macalintal can sue all groups opposing the President’s sinister plot to stay in power. If she doesn’t then it would be better for Macalintal to keep his mouth shut and instead advise the President to really, really consider stepping down and spare Filipinos from further suffering,” Maglunsod said.
In December 30, 2002, the President said she will not seek another term. Her own exact words were "If I run, it would require a major political effort on my part but since I am one of the principal figures in the divisive national events in the last two or three years our political efforts would result in a never-ending divisiveness," she said in a speech… "In view of these factors I have decided not to run for president during the elections in 2004."
"But a few months after in October 2003, Arroyo changed her mind and announced her bid for the presidency for the 2004 presidential elections. So don't blame us if we can't believe a liar," Maglunsod concluded. #
