Anakpawis Solon to Pro-Chacha Colleagues: “Stand-Up, Reveal Yourselves, Face the People and Explain!”

Published on June 3, 2009

NEWS RELEASE
June 3, 2009

Passage of charter change draws outrage from poor sectors

Anakpawis solon to pro-Chacha solons, “stand-up, reveal yourselves, face the people and explain!”

Anakpawis Rep. Joel Maglunsod challenged the congressmen who sided with the passage of the ‘unconstitutional and undemocratic’ House Resolution 1109 which transformed congress into a self-serving Constituent Assembly to change the constitution without the upper house to explain to their constituents why they railroaded a much-despised measure. Maglunsod said that their selfish decision to ignore the voice of their constituents must be held accountable..

“Last night, we stood up to oppose HR1109 because it is our duty to our constituents to air their voices and explain why charter change is rejected by the workers, peasants and other poor sectors. Alam namin na sa sigawan pa lang, siguradong panalo pa rin ang majority. Pero tumayo pa rin kami at nagsalita, kahit na nakasulsi na ang tenga ng ibang kongresista. Other solons literally slept last night while we were delivering our objections and they just woke up to say “Aye!” at the speakers queue,” laments Maglunsod.

Maglunsod said that the names of the representatives who said “Aye!” last night can be deduced by identifying the solons who haveoo std up on the floor and delivered their objections. He said that aside from the minority, two majority congressmen, Rep. Erin Tañada and Rep. Ulpiano Sarmiento III, also expressed their objection to HR 1109.

“Arroyo’s marching order to pass chacha last night made the plenary session a box office hit, all seats taken. And this was not a priority bill,” said Maglunsod. “They must explain to their constituents the reasons why HR1109 was bullishly pushed without regard to the people’s vehement opposition to chacha. Ano ba ang silbi nito sa ordinaryong manggagawa, magsasaka at sa lahat ng maralita? Magkakaroon ba ng desenteng trabaho? Makukuha na ba ng magsasaka ang lupang binubungkal nila? Mapaparusahan na ba si Gloria sa mga kasalanan nya sa taumbayan?”

Members of Anakpawis Partylist will be joining the protest rally organized by the Bayong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) in front of the Batasang Pambansa this afternoon. They are also enjoining other citizens to express their indignation to the unconstitutional and unwanted charter change through constituent assembly through different forms of protests nationwide.

Meanwhile, members of Anakpawis are also keeping a tight watch today as congress is also set to pass the anti-farmer CARP extension with reforms (CARPER).

Maglunsod said that the passage of HR 1109 is actually a prerequisite to the CARPER proposal in order to allow 100% foreign ownership of land. “CARPER, like Chacha, is another proposal terribly unwanted by the peasants. Like Chacha, it is another scheme to dupe them into massive land grabbing and conversion, similar to what CARP has done in the last two decades.”

Anakpawis is pushing for a Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) or House Bill 3059 which was filed by the late Rep. Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran. Maglunsod said that GARB genuinely pushes for the distribution of land to the tillers and addresses the real problems of landlessness and poverty in the countrysides. # # #

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