This is in reaction to the article titled, “Admin drive vs militant party lists succeeding.” (Inquirer, 5/29/05)
First of all, the headline is not accurate. I never said that the administration’s drive against Bayan Muna and other progressive parties is succeeding. On the contrary, the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration has failed miserably in its six-year campaign to annihilate and marginalize our parties. Three of our parties — Bayan Muna, Gabriela and Anakpawis — are most likely to succeed in maintaining six seats in Congress despite the brutal campaign of extrajudicial killings, abductions, political intimidation, electoral fraud and violence being conducted by Malacañang and the military against our ranks.
While admitting that the last elections saw our toughest campaign so far, I pointed out that our good showing, despite the administration’s all-out effort to dislodge us, was a feat in itself. In fact, it was noted in the news report that I “hesitated to admit” that the vilification campaign against our parties had succeeded.
Second, I would like to stress that the so-called “Admin drive” against us is not simply a vilification campaign aimed at reducing our votes. Since 2001, the Arroyo administration and its armed forces have tried to annihilate our parties altogether. At least 180 of our key leaders and supporters have been killed by suspected state security forces. Scores have been abducted and many remain missing till this day. At the same time, a legal offensive has been launched at the national and local levels, using trumped-up charges of rebellion, murder, sedition or whatever they could concoct against our members and supporters. Even our congressional representatives have not been spared from warrantless arrests, trumped-up charges and assassination threats.
Not content with its deadly campaign, Malacañang and the Armed Forces used government funds and state machinery in the last elections to field and support its own party-list groups. Government-backed political operators were engaged in massive vote-buying, vote-padding, vote-shaving and other forms of cheating to dislodge us and undermine the party-list system as a whole.
Given this concerted, all-out effort by the executive and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to physically, legally and politically obliterate us, the performance of the progressive party lists in the recent elections was nothing short of sterling and a victory in itself. We consistently topped all surveys, raised crucial issues and campaigned effectively nationwide, and we guarded not only our votes but also those of our allies in the opposition.
Despite all odds, we are still in fighting form and ready to do battle when the next Congress opens. This is proof that the administration’s campaign against us has utterly failed.
REP. TEDDY CASIÑO, Bayan Muna Party List
