Teachers' group criticized Arroyo son

MANILA, Philippines - The ACT TEACHERS party-list group criticized Pampanga province's 2nd District Representative Juan Miguel Arroyo who announced his intention to run for a party-list seat in Congress in the May 2010 elections.

“Mikey Arroyo's entry into the party-list arena will make a mockery of the spirit and intent of the party-list law of providing representation to the marginalized and underrepresented sectors of society,” said ACT TEACHERS party-list president Antonio Tinio, referring to Arroyo.

“He belongs to the most powerful political clan in the country at the moment and he's one of the leaders of the party in power, KAMPI,” he said.

“There's no place for him in the partylist system and any party-list that takes him onboard as a nominee will thereby reveal itself as a bogus partylist, a mere Malacanang front. The voting public will not be fooled.”

Noting the negative effect that close association with President Gloria Arroyo has had on the campaign of administration presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro, Tinio declared that Arroyo’s eldest son will likely encounter the same problem. “Any party-list that’s considering taking him as a nominee should think twice. They will have to contend with the so-called 'Arroyo kiss of death'.”

Tinio said this is not the first time an Arroyo has used the party-list system as a backdoor to the House of Representatives. “Maria Lourdes Tuason Arroyo currently sits in Congress as the representative of Kasangga. Dato Arroyo is known to have close ties to Ako-Bicol, which is running in the coming elections.”

Tinio added that a number of party-lists vying for seats in the upcoming elections have been identified as having links to Malacanang’s Office of External Affairs.

These include Agbiag Timpuyo Ilokano; Ahon Pinoy; Akbay Pinoy OFW-National; Aangat Ating Kabuhayan Filipinas; Babae para sa Kaunalaran; Bigkis Pinoy Movement; Byaheng Pinoy Labor Association; Kalahi Sectoral Party; and League of Youth for Peace Advancement.

In addition, BANTAY of Representative Jovito Palparan and Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy of Representative Jun Alcover and the Kasangga sa Kaunlaran, inclduding BANAT, and Aangat Tayo are likewise known to be closely associated with the Arroyo administration.

“Given President Arroyo's candidacy for a congressional seat in Pampanga, it seems that the leading members of the Arroyo clan are hell-bent on positioning themselves in Congress, together with various Malacanang-sponsored bogus party-lists, to prolong their hold on power and possibly to play a role in Arroyo's avowed goal of Charter change and the shift to a parliamentary system,” Tinio said.