MANILA: An election watchdog said around 70% of party-list groups running in the May polls are being used by political clans, big businesses and state interests as a “backdoor to further entrench their political and economic interests.”
An analysis by Kontra Daya revealed that at least 120 of 177 party-list groups are identified with political clans and big businesses, have incumbent local officials, connections with the government and military, unknown or unclear advocacy’s and representations, and pending court cases and criminal charges.
The group said that at least 44 party-lists groups are controlled by political clans, at least 21 have connections with big businesses, at least 34 have unknown or unclear advocacies and representations, at least 32 have links to the government or the military, at least 26 have incumbent local officials running as nominees, and at least 19 have pending court cases or criminal charges.
Among these party-list groups is ACT-CIS, which topped the party-list race in 2019.
Kontra Daya identified its first nominee, Edvic Yap, and its incumbent representative, Eric Yap, as among those named in August 2017 by Sen. Ping Lacson in a privilege speech who supposedly gives bribes to officials at the Bureau of Customs under the leadership of Nicanor Faeldon.
ACT-CIS’ second nominee and incumbent representative, Jocelyn Tulfo, is the wife of broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, who is running for senator. Raffy is the brother of ACT-CIS fourth nominee Erwin Tulfo and former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo.
The Department of Tourism, under Wanda’s leadership, struck an allegedly anomalous P60 million advertisement deal with Bitag Media Unlimited Inc., a production company owned by her brother, Ben Tulfo.
Kontra Daya also flagged the indictment of Wow Pilipinas first nominee Genevive Reyes for graft and the violation of the Coconut Preservation Act in April 2018. Reyes is also the vice mayor of Caluya, Antique.
The Sandiganbayan acquitted Reyes in October 2021 for these charges as it found that the prosecution failed to prove that she, as then Caluya, Antique mayor, cut or ordered the cutting of coconut trees.
The poll watchdog also pointed out that Wow Pilipinas’ second nominee, Peter Paul Dy Jr., is national president of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, managing director of PLD Construction and Development Inc., president of Mandy Hotmix, Inc. and CEO of Power Frame Development Corp.
Dy also sits on the board of directors of MAPS Construction, APSI Asphalt Batching Plant Supply, and Mandaue City Green Building Management, Kontra Daya said.
Marcelino Libanan is also among the many former district representatives who are joining the party-list race as nominees.
Libanan formerly represented Eastern Samar in the House of Representatives and was immigration commissioner during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Kontra Daya said he was accused of violating Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act over the purchase of 2,164 bags of fertilizer amounting to P3.25 million in April 2004.
In August 2020, the Sandiganbayan denied the appeal of Libanan and former Eastern Samar Gov. Clotilde Salazar to outrightly junk the graft cases against them.
Meanwhile, 4P’s fifth nominee is Jonathan Clement Abalos, nephew of former Metro Manila Development Authority chair Benhur Abalos, who is now the campaign manager of presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos.
Kontra Daya pointed out that BHW party-list’s first nominee and incumbent representative, Angelica Natasha Co, is the daughter of former Rep. Christopher Co (Ako Bicol party-list).
In 2001, three years after the first party-list elections were held, the Supreme Court ruled that only parties and their nominees who are part of the marginalized and underrepresented sectors could sit in Congress.
But in 2013, it reversed itself, saying that groups of political parties only need to push for common beliefs or ideologies “regardless of their economic status as citizens.”
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