Subversion

From the time of the campaign period until present, militant group BAYAN-Bikol had been persistently vocal about AKO BIKOL (AKB) for being a "dummy" party-list group of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. BAYAN-Bikol, in fact, had filed with the Comelec a disqualification case against the AKB on the bases that the latter's nominees, Christopher and Elizaldy Co, do not really belong to any marginalized sector being actually wealthy contractors; and for being linked with the outgoing Arroyo Administration.

According to the Public Information Officer of BAYAN-Bikol, Tessa Lopez, Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corporation and Sunwest Construction & Development Corporation are businesses owned by Christopher and Elizaldy Co. And while being relatively new contractors, the Cos are the top 3 and 5 of the DPWH's most favored contractors from 2000-2008, getting around Php 6.9 Billion from the DPWH.

Lopez pointed out that "[i]t is obvious that such dubious companies cornered such big deals because they are close to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and that their party list group was formed to benefit her and their business interest. . . . From all these accounts they are hardly marginalized and they should be disqualified."

Lopez's argument for AKB's disqualification is cogent. Very wealthy contractors being made party list representatives undermine the very rationale of the party-list system. However, the notions that the Cos' businesses benefitted from their being close to GMA, and that AKB is a dummy for Mrs. Arroyo require further buttressing. Nonetheless, we have to admit that the Cos cornering Php 6.9 Billion in contracts within such a short period of their businesses' existence, is suspicious and warrants a probe.

In the meantime, acts of harassment against the Cos' construction firms by armed rebel groups known-to say the least- to be sympathetic to BAYAN's cause, have carried on. We lament this development and enjoin those responsible and those with influence with these armed rebel groups to put a stop to these acts of violence.

At any rate, the disqualification case against AKB filed by BAYAN-Bikol is with merit and must be seriously considered by the Comelec. Consequently, we urge that this case be judiciously and speedily tried, if only to settle the question of whether AKB is a real party list of the marginalized, or simply another instance of a successful subversion of our democratic processes.