SOUNDING BOARD is an outlet for opinions on good and crazy things going on at home (wherever I may be). All are welcome. You are not expected to bring anything except your common sense & sense of humor.
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-Robert X. Cringely (from geek wisdom)
SOUNDING BOARD
Monday, April 05, 2004
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Hawkish election disqualification tactic vs alleged CPP front organizations
INQ7.net reports, 'WHILE THE government wants the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to lay down its arms in favor of electoral struggle, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales is seeking the disqualification from the May 10 elections of six party-list groups he considers CPP front organizations' (INQ7.net, 5 April 2004).
Gonzales specifically identified the party-list groups as Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis, Anak ng Bayan, Migrante and Suara Bangsamoro. In the 2 April 2004 meeting of the National Security Council, Gonzales mentioned he has strong suspicion that 'the Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) amounting to more than 500 million pesos was used to aid and abet the armed struggle of the NPA (New People's Army, the armed wing of the CPP)'.
Here is where an honest to goodness government audit comes in (and should also include other pork barrel funds!). If Mr. Gonzales has evidences supporting his 'suspicion', by all means disqualify them. Evidences please, but even if these political parties are 'CPP front organizations' CPP is not an illegal organization. We're not going to get anywhere if we base it in mere suspision.
However, this may just be a mere political strategy to send a message that 'NSC will be watching you'. And in times when the campaign fever is currently afflicting both the administration and the opposition, 'suspicions' will never run out. Give the people solid evidences and you'll be doing us a great public service rather than venting suspicions to the media.
posted by Allan at 11:37 AM (GMT+8)
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