Removing the party-list system won’t address the problem of the communist rebellion, according to Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Ferdinand Gaite.
Removing the party-list system in the 1987 Constitution won’t address the problem of communist rebellion in the Philippines, according to Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite.
However, Gaite said that removing the party-list system would only deprive the poor and the marginalized of representation in the Congress.
Gaite on Thursday made the remark after Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that President Rodrigo Duterte didn’t want a term extension but rather an amendment to the 1987 Constitution to fix or remove the party-list system.
In a statement, Gaite said that abolishing the party-list system won’t aid their crackdown against CPP-NPA, but only in the crackdown of representation for the poor and marginalized.
“Pagbawi ito sa tagumpay ng mamamayan noong EDSA I, ng tagumpay nila na magkaroon ng puwang sa loob ng Kongreso para sa mga madalas ay hindi napakikinggan. Ultimately, this is an attack on democracy, on participatory governance,” Gaite said.
READ ALSO | Senate President Sotto: Charter Change ‘Nearly Impossible’, But Charter Amendments Can Be Discussed
Senate President Sotto disclosed President Duterte’s remark on the party-list system amidst speculations on why deliberations on charter change (Cha-cha) were being revived in the House of Representatives.
However, Gaite said that fixing the party-list system didn’t need charter change, adding that members of the CPP-NPA themselves didn’t participate in the elections.
According to Gaite, they should go after traditional politicians who had abused the party-list system in order to skirt their term limits, get reelected, or entrench their dynasties if they’re genuinely concerned about fixing the party-list system.
Gaite also said that they should go after fake party-lists who didn’t genuinely represent the marginalized.
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