FPI bucks biz group's Congress bid

MANILA, Philippines - A business leader has warned the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that it could be setting a wrong precedent – one that would turn the halls of Congress into a marketplace – if it would not revoke the party-list accreditation of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers Association (LPGMA).

Jesus L. Arranza, chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), said it is clear that LPGMA, even in its own manifestations in Comelec, is a business group that represents the interests of moneyed businessmen, and is therefore not qualified to seek party-list representation.

Arranza has a pending petition before the Comelec that seeks to disqualify LPGMA from the party-list election for not representing a marginalized sector. LPGMA currently has a representative in Congress.

“In the recent Comelec hearing, LPGMA representatives were even confused as to what sector they are really representing. They even said that since they are traders, they are also representing professionals,” Arranza said.

He said if Comelec would junk his petition against LPGMA, it would open the gates for other business associations to seek outright representations in Congress via the party-list system.

“Just imagine what would happen if the Comelec would allow LPGNA to participate in the election again. There are so many dealers of different products in the country. If they would just pattern their petitions for accreditation for the party-list system, the Comelec will have no choice but to accredit them,” Arranza said.

And since these business groups have the money and machinery to run a good campaign, Arranza said the probability is very high that they would get seats in Congress and crowd out the real marginalized sectors from the picture.

With business groups using the party-list system to protect their respective interests, Arranza said the House of Representatives will become a virtual marketplace.

“The members of FPI, alone, have a huge network of dealers. If we would organize these dealers into party-list groups and follow the precedent being set by LPGMA, the intent of the party-list system, which is to give congressional representation to marginalized sectors, will be lost,” he said.

Arranza said he is confident that Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes and the Comelec commissioners are aware of this repercussion.

“Chairman Brillantes is very knowledgeable of election laws so I am confident the Commission will make the right decision. This will be the start of the cleansing process in the party-list system” he said.