Do you agree that Mikey Arroyo should be stricken off as a party list nominee?

Mandy Rillon, Metro Manila: Mikey Arroyo should have the delicadeza to not even think of himself a party list nominee. Is he personally a part of any marginalized sector? Strike him off the list.  

Cris Rivera, Rizal: I’m no pessimist, but against Comelec’s nod to Mikey Arroyo as a party list nominee, which it gave on a silver platter, my dissenting opinion won’t hold water.  

Beware politicians’ tactics

Louella Brown, Baguio City: Mikey Arroyo should be stricken off as a party list nominee. How immoral of him to represent security guards.  

Col Ben Paguirigan Jr., Ret., Zamboanga City: But, of course, Mikey Arroyo should be stricken off as a party list nominee because he’s not fit to represent the group. This man must be greedy.  

Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: Mikey must indeed be disqualified from hiding in the guise of a party list just to slip the scrutiny of anti-PGMA groups. Politicians use lateral entry tactics just to win. Let’s be vigilant, be watchful and be wise. Huwag magpaloko.  

Abolish the party list system

Luisito Vallo, Pangasinan: He should be. He cannot be considered a member of any marginalized sector, so he has no right to be a nominee of the party list fielding him. Or maybe it’s time we abolished the party list system?  

R. Los Baños, Las Piñas City: If there is a law or a constitutional provision that expressly states that he is not qualified as a nominee, then he should be stricken off as a nominee. If there is none and the basis for such clamor are the calls of a few ideologues, then why should he be stricken out? The better option in the long run is to abolish this party list anomaly.  

Ishmael Q. Calata, Parañaque City: I agree 100 per cent. In fact, I agree with the many who question the sprouting of many conceivable parties in the party list system. This system is being used as a backdoor entry by many unwanted representatives in Congress. They get all the perks enjoyed by congressmen and some are there only to partake of the pork or use the money to go against the very institution that runs our government. Soon, they will outnumber the legitimate district representatives. This party list system is another of those we can say are found “Only in the Philippines!” Question: Have these parties benefited the marginalized who are supposed to be represented?  

Delfin Todcor, Quezon City: The Comelec and the Supreme Court must strike off all party lists then guide our political exercise justly.  

Johann Lucas, Quezon City: Yes, not only Mikey, but also other party list groups that misrepresent themselves as being representatives of the people. The party list is for marginalized sectors. It’s not for the wealthy.  

Ed Alawi, Davao City: It’s obvious that we are being taken for a ride. The party list should be stricken off from the Constitution; we should return to the NP-LP mode.  

Rey Onate, Palayan City: Yes, for what does he know about being marginalized? At saka alisin na ang party list. Dagdag lang ang mga ’yan sa gastusin ng bayan; magugulo pa.  

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: Leftists, rightists, dirty politicians, puppets and dynasts are abusing the party list. The next Congress should scrap it, naba-baboy lang.  

Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: The party list is now a joke. It is being bastardized not only by Mikey Arroyo but also those that are now in Congress and even eyeing the Senate.  

Joe Nacilla, Las Piñas City: I do not agree that only Mikey Arroyo should be stricken off as a party list nominee. The party list system itself must be abolished. This is a stupid idea that only wastes the people’s money. The salary and all other benefits of a useless party list representative could have eliminated the need for VAT on basic commodities. Party list representatives only contribute more lies, deceit and corruption. We have not seen or felt sincere public service. I cannot recall who introduced this crackpot idea, but this is a product of a clueless president.  

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: With 700,000 votes, a party list nominee could gain a seat in Congress. Mura na, may pork barrel na pabuya pa. Skip party list voting. It’s a waste of money!  

Richard Decena, Quezon City: There’s no need for gentleman Mikey Arroyo to be stricken off as party list nominee. I-boycott na lang po ang pagboto sa lahat ng party list.  

Saturnino Mendinueto, Parañaque City: No, like Erap’s case, let the people decide. As for me, I don’t believe in party lists.  

Tony Gomez, Parañaque City: Yes, Mikey should be stricken off as party list nominee. Not only him, but also others like him. The party list system must also be stricken from our Constitution. It’s an added burden to our people that only benefits the rich, influential and powerful.  

The height of arrogance

Manuel Tejada, Bacolod City: He must not only be stricken off the party list, but stricken off the face of the planet. He is like his swapang mother and father.  

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: I think he should be stricken off. He did nothing in Congress but show his arrogance when his mother was being criticized.  

He has the right to run

Felix Ramento, USA: On what grounds? No, that would be a violation of his right.  

Leandro Tolentino, Batangas City: Party list nominees are the exclusive choice of their respective party members. The electorate only votes for the party list as a group.  

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: No, he’s better than leftist party list representatives like Casiño, et al. who use their pork barrel to foment chaos and disorder in the streets. Ibinabayad lang sa mga nagra-rally ang pera ng bayan. We’d need to dance the Cha-cha to place the issue in its proper perspective.  

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: And why should he be? He is an experienced lawmaker and can adequately represent a marginalized sector, unlike anyone who’ll be there but stay clueless.  

Ferdinand Rafer, Cavite: The party list nominee is in the hand of the party list itself. What can we do if the party list wants Mikey to be their representative?  

Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: No, if he wants to serve under a party list, why not? You don’t have to be a security guard yourself to be able to represent security guards. You don’t have to be poor to serve the poor. He qualifies as a nominee. That should settle the issue.   

We allow the Arroyos to abuse us

Rose Leobrera, Manila: If I agree, will it matter? Will I be able to do something? No! Kahit lahat tayo mag-disagree, we can’t do anything. The Arroyos can do whatever they want just to cling to power. So why do we tolerate them? Why can’t we do something to cut off their greed? There are almost 90 million of us and yet we are rendered powerless by this family that abuses us.  

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: What Mikey Arroyo is doing is adding insult to injury. His mother is already being castigated for her wrongdoings and now he’s fueling the fire.  

He’s not part of the marginalized sector

Desuel Pardo, Mandaluyong City: Technically speaking, there is no issue with Mikey Arroyo being a party list nominee. However, he is neither a security guard nor a tricycle driver, and his membership in the party list group is ambiguous and misleading. Party list representatives in Congress are supposed to represent the marginalized sectors of our society and give them the opportunity to be heard and to share their attributes for the benefit of all. For Mikey Arroyo, or personages of his stature, being a nominee of a marginalized group makes a mockery of the spirit of the party list system.  

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: Yes and yes. He should be stricken off for he does not come from the marginalized sector. He doesn’t look, act, dress, behave nor represent the sentiments of security guards and tricycle drivers. There’s one word to best describe this action of his: Sakim.  

Elpidio Que, Vigan: The Arroyo government has been doing unthinkable things to escape facing possible criminal cases against them, among which is the bastardization of the party list system. We can see so many of these party lists that can be connected to the regime, one of which is the security guards party list with Mikey Arroy as its nominee. How can the son of the President and an ex-congressman be the security guards’ nominee? What should be stricken out is not only his name as nominee, but also that party list that has him as its nominee!  

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Yes, he has no right to represent the security guard sector.  

Deo Durante, Camarines Sur: As prescribed in the Constitution, Mikey has the right to run. The problem is, he is not a real member of the marginalized sector he is supposed to represent, namely security guards. Was he once a security guard in a mall or something? Well, his attempt to become the party list representative for them is disgusting! There is no doubt that Mikey is just being used by some generals with a security guard business agency. He is not the Mikey I know.  

Eufrocino Linsangan, Isabela: Every Juan, Pedro and Juana of this country knows that Mikey doesn’t come from the ranks of the marginalized. He must be disqualified as party list nominee.  

Ricardo Tolentino, Laoag City: Yes, including all other rich nominees of other party list for the noble purpose of the system is the representation of the marginalized sector.  

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: The 1987 Constitution identifies the marginalized sectors represented by party lists but the qualification of party list nominee is similar to the qualifications of representatives in Congress, except that he must be a member of the party for at least 90 days before election day. Anyone, therefore, could easily be legally qualified to be a party list nominee. But since Mikey Arroyo belongs to the privileged few, it would be morally proper to have nominees in his party who belong to the less privileged. He can be a counselor of the party, but not a nominee. On the other hand, there are already party list nominees that belong to the privileged few. To make the qualification of party list nominee sensible, it should be amended to limit it to underprivileged members of the party list.  

Why single him out?

Juan Deveraturda, Subic, Zambales: Why are militant groups being selective in their protest against Mikey Arroyo as a party list nominee? Why single him out? The son of multimillionaire Eddie Villanueva, who is again running for president, has been a party list representative for a long time now and yet not a single word of protest has been made by this militant group against Joel Villanueva of CIBAC. They should instead join the clamor to amend the Constitution because the party list system has a lot of loopholes and flaws.  

Erwin Espinoza, Pangasinan: I don’t agree; dapat hindi lang si Mikey. Even the party list nominees of the leftist fronts should be stricken off, too.  

Ernesto F. Oliquiano, Las Piñas City: Yes, I certainly agree. And it’s not only Mikey Arroyo who should be stricken off, but all those nominees of party list groups who do not belong to the marginalized group they are supposed to represent. These people are making a mockery of the party list provision of our Constitution, using it as a backdoor entrance to Congress. If they want to join Congress, they should run in their respective congressional districts. The Comelec should scrutinize these party list groups. We have to maintain the sanctity of our Constitution. 

Josh Pacatang, Dipolog City: Yes, as Inbox suggests, I agree with the cancellation of Mikey Arroyo’s candidacy, provided that we also cancel the candidacy of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as well as that of Benigno Aquino III. You will notice that these are all sons of former presidents who would perpetuate their families in power, which is against the 1987 Constitution and its anti-dynasty provision.  

Ric Vergara, Calamba: If we allowed an ex-convict to run for president, why disallow the son of an unpopular president?  

Impossible for him to be disqualified

Miguelito Herrera, Cabanatuan City: The Arroyos are truly special for their insatiable lust for power. It’s impossible for him to be disqualified as party list nominee with his mother also running for Congress. The Comelec will surely play favorites and will junk any petition to disqualify any Arroyo running for congress.  

Ruel Bautista, Laguna: Yes, he should be, but who’s got the balls to go against PGMA’s whims or wishes?  

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: The petition to disqualify Mikey is like whistling in the wind. The Comelec would never dare disqualify him. What are they in power for?  

The real issue is PGMA’s grand design

Dennis Acop, Baguio City: Of course. Mikey Arroyo or the party list is not even the real issue here. The true issue is the overall grand design to extend GMA’s hold on power, which has absolutely corrupted her. It is indeed a sad day for democracy. We need not see Mikey Arroyo running as a party list nominee if there were no such sinister agenda on the part of his mother. It’s a pity that the noble intent of the party list provision in the Constitution is being prostituted by a self-serving national leader who has lost all sense of decency. That intent is supposedly to institutionalize a legal mechanism that would look after the interests of marginalized sectors neglected by a predominantly elitist and ethnocentric government. Now we see ridiculous party list organizations representing such flimsy interests any self-serving entity can muster so long as it is supportive of GMA. Mikey’s is an excellent example. Angie Reyes and 1-Utak are another.  

Elizabeth Oximer, Negros Occidental: Yes, and all their cohorts, too.  

Elmo Cruz, Manila: It would be inappropriate for Mikey Arroyo, the son of the President, a millionaire and outgoing Congressman, to be a nominee of a party list representing an underprivileged group in Congress. There are real members of underprivileged groups that can represent them; why get someone who is not one of their kind? Obviously, the public senses that he is coming back to Congress through the party list system to clear the way for his mother to become the Speaker of the House and, ultimately, the first Prime Minister. On the other hand, there could have been no snafu at all if PGMA were popular.  

We only have our flawed Charter to blame

C.B. Fundales, Bulacan: Why should he be stricken off if the party list law allows him to do so? A stupidly crafted law must instead be annulled so that nobody can exploit it.  

Norberto Robles, Taguig: The Comelec has been inconsistent in the screening of nominees. It’s time to scrap this provision in the Cory Constitution.  

Randolph Hallasgo, Misamis Oriental: No, he can continue, whether we like it or not, because it’s the party list system in the Philippine Constitution itself that is to blame. That’s why we should support Charter change so that every thing that is to be changed in our by-laws can be amended, revised and be polished. These are laws that have been used as weapons by some politicians, but the weapon that they cannot get from us is the weapon of intellect and freedom to choose the good or the bad.  

Clinging to power

Ignacio Anacta, Metro Manila: Go, Mikey, go! Since you will be replaced by your mom, now you’ve found a way to stay in Congress by representing the marginalized security guards and continue receiving the pork barrel.  

Mark Kevin Santos, Nueva Ecija: Mikey wants to remain in power. He should be stricken off as a party list nominee as soon as possible.  

Lydia Reyes, Bataan: They are just dancing to the music of rigodon de honor, huwag lang mawala sa power. In the next few years, baka pati pagka-barangay captain patulan nila.  

Dr. Jose Balcanao, Benguet: Mikey Arroyo should give room to other qualified candidates who have the sincerity and political will to serve our country. If not, then it implies that their political dynasty is expanding nationwide.  

Mikey is testing the waters

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: My opinion is that Mikey Arroyo’s party list group is just testing the waters. Yes, it is his right under our Constitution, but if his being a nominee is questioned by the Comelec, then he should bid his bid goodbye. In the meantime, let us wait for the voters’ decision if his party list group will make it in the upcoming elections. I rest my case.  

THE WAY I SEE IT

Mykov Rivera, Quezon City: Sadyang napakalupit ng tao sa kalikasan. Pakiramdam ko’y sasabog itong mundo natin na hindi natin namamalayan!  

Mel Caparas, Manila: Kudos to the great Nora Aunor for being named one of the 10 best Asian actresses of the decade at the Green Planet Movie Awards in Hollywood.  

Vivian Ocampo, Quezon City: Thanks to Mr. Esposo’s March 28 column, Villar’s lie about his brother’s death is exposed. Only the morally depraved would fall for such a scheme.  

Do you agree that the 1987 Constitution is to blame for the political chaos we experience today?

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