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Bayan urges Comelec to disqualify Arroyo
MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) - It's official. Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Juan Miguel 'Mikey' Arroyo is a nominee of Ang Galing Pinoy for the party-list race.

Ang Galing Pinoy is a party that seeks to represent security guards in the House of Representatives.

The official nomination of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's eldest son for Ang Galing Pinoy was submitted before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) law department on Tuesday.

Although he can seek a third and last term as representative of the 2nd district of Pampanga, Rep. Arroyo has given way to his mother, who has chosen to run for Congress even after serving as president for more than 9 years.

Rep. Arroyo did not personally go to the Comelec to submit the nomination. Only a duly-authorized representative submitted the document.

Aside from Rep. Arroyo, the other nominees of Ang Galing Pinoy are: Dennis Pineda, Romeo Dungca Jr., Jerold Dominic David, and Ryan Caladiao.

Nothing wrong, says Mikey
In a statement, Rep. Arroyo said he sees nothing wrong in possibly representing Ang Galing Pinoy.

"I believe the party-list welcomes the investigation to clear the air in this issue. Furtheremore, I also believe no party-list must be duly disadvantaged on the basis of their nomination, which is internal to them in the first place. I am sure the Ang Galing Pinoy party-list has passed the strict accreditation process of the Comelec. The choice of nominee is the sole prerogative of any party list," Rep. Arroyo said.

The Comelec is currently formulating rules that would strictly screen party-list nominees. The rules will be issued through an en banc resolution.

Nominations for party-list elections may be questioned through a verified petition.

'A new low for party-list system'
Meanwhile, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) assailed the inclusion of Rep. Arroyo in the list of nominees formally submitted to the Comelec.

“The inclusion of Mikey Arroyo as the first nominee of party-list group Ang Galing Pinoy marks a new low for the party-list system. We maintain that Mikey Arroyo is not eligible to become a party-list nominee. He does not come from the ranks of the marginalized. He is the incumbent congressman of his district, a member of the dominant political party Lakas-Kampi, and the son of the incumbent president. By no stretch of the imagination can he be considered marginalized or fit to represent the marginalized for which the party-list system was meant to serve,” said Bayan secretary-general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

“It appears Mikey has stripped himself of any delicadeza and has gone full steam ahead with his plans of taking advantage of the party-list system to entrench himself in power along with other Arroyo loyalists,” Reyes added.

He called on the Comelec to “do the right thing and disqualify Mikey Arroyo.”

“The Comelec cannot plead ignorance when it comes to Mikey. They know very well who he is. They have no other legal and logical recourse but to motu propio disqualify Mikey,” Reyes added.

Ang Galing Pinoy’s second nominee is Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda, also a known Arroyo ally.

5 Arroyos in Congress?
The 1987 Constitution opened the House of Representatives to marginalized and under-represented sectors through the party-list system.

However, activists and other critics say rich and powerful individuals are abusing the party-list system so that they can remain in public office and enjoy its perks.

If Galing Pinoy wins and Rep. Arroyo becomes its representative in the House, he will join his mother who, in all likelihood, will become the new 2nd district congresswoman of Pampanga.

Other Arroyos currently holding seats in Congress include President Arroyo's son, Rep. Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo representing Camarines Sur, her brother-in-law Iggy Arroyo representing Negros Occidental, and sister-in-law Ma. Lourdes Arroyo of Ang Kasangga party.


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