DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Bayan Muna was the consistent top-placer in the past party-list election, known for carrying people’s issues in an elite-dominated Congress. But in this recent election they did not secure enough votes to earn a congressional seat.
Comelec rules said that a party-list that is unable to gather two percent of the total party-list votes for two straight elections will be delisted, meaning Bayan Muna has to register again and probably under a new name.
The loss of Bayan Muna stung its members and supporters, as well as political observers, as they point to two reasons for their setback: the dilution of the party-list system as traditional politicians field their own party-lists, and secondly, the relentless attacks from NTF-ELCAC, which smeared the reputation of Bayan Muna through propaganda and intimidation. A few days before the election, fake news was spread that Bayan Muna was disqualified for alleged communist links.
In an interview on the Facts First podcast, former Bayan Muna representative Teddy Casiño, who lost his senatorial bid last May 12, noted how the NTF-ELCAC campaign affected their chapters in Mindanao. According to Casiño, members were forced to surrender, coerced not to vote for Bayan Muna, and to identify other members and supporters.
“I don’t know of any political party na trinato nang ganyan ng gobyerno (treated this way by the government). Nahirapan kami mag cope, magpunta sa mga base votes (We could not cope, we could not go to our base votes),” Casiño lamented.
Their loss is seen differently by most Dabawenyos, who have wholly supported the Dutertes, who have constantly attacked Bayan Muna and its allied party-lists under the Makabayan Coalition. One journalist in Davao even posted “Bye muna for Makabayan,” referring to the loss of Bayan Muna and another party-list, Gabriela.
Mindanaoan representation
It is ironic that Mindanao deprived Bayan Muna of votes, as this party-list had fielded three Mindanaoan representatives in its 21-year history in Congress, championing issues such as the peace and self-determination of the Lumad and Moro people and environmental protection, among others.
Back in 2004, Bayan Muna selected the late Joel Virador, then secretary general of Karapatan Southern Mindanao, as one of its representatives. The Kidapawan-born Virador served in the 12th and 13th Congress from 2004 to 2007 and was vice-chair of the House Committee on Mindanao Affairs. He also served on committees related to human rights, women, rural development, and agriculture.
Virador’s advocacy for human rights in Mindanao came at a crucial time. The Arroyo presidency and military were fanning Islamophobia at the height of bombings in cities and towns in Mindanao and called for the presence of American troops through Balikatan. He led calls against the US military intervention in Mindanao along with peace advocates, speaking out in forums across the regions.
The Mindanao congressman was part of the Batasan 5, who were supported by fellow House Representatives
Virador died of cancer in 2019 at age 52.
The next Mindanoan representative for Bayan Muna is Atty. Carlos Isagani Zarate, who served in the 16th, 17th, and 18th Congresses from 2013 to 2022, was deputy minority leader in the 18th Congress.
A human rights lawyer based in Davao, Zarate was one of the 11 legislators who voted to grant the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN, and he was one of only three Mindanao representatives to cast such a vote, opposing the manipulation of Duterte to shut down the station.
Along with his party mate Atty. Neri Colmenares, Bayan Muna successfully filed a Supreme Court petition to abolish the pork barrel system known as the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in Congress after an exposé of corrupt practices. They defied pressure from fellow representatives as they pushed for transparency in Congress.
Zarate’s legislative record included authoring or co-authoring 286 bills in nine years concerning people’s economic issues, such as hiking SSS pension and senior citizens’ benefits, mandatory insurance for journalists, regularization of salaries for bus drivers and conductors, incentives for entrepreneurs, and declaration of mining-free zones in municipalities. He is credited with authoring the Mental Health Act and Masustansyang Mag-Nanay Act.
The third representative coming from Mindanao is Eufemia Campos Cullamat, who served in the 18th Congress from 2019 to 2022. A Manobo Lumad leader from Surigao del Sur, she is the second Manobo to serve in Congress. She has co-authored bills supporting workers and farmers, such as the anti-Endo (end-of-contract). Cullamat fought against militarization and attacks on Lumad schools and communities.
What’s next
Colmenares and Zarate were the top two nominees for Bayan Muna in the recent election. Their upset loss does not mean they will be sitting back.
“Hindi natatapos sa halalan ang laban. Ang tunay na pagbabago ay makakamit sa pagkakaisa at kolektibong pagkilos ng mamamayan (The fight doesn’t end with election. Real change is achieved in unity and collective actions of the people,” their statement said. Their supporters said Bayan Muna will still continue its campaigns in the parliament, on the streets, and in their petitions at the Supreme Court.
Topping the party-list race is Akbayan, but the next four party-list top-notchers are linked to dynasties : Duterte Youth, Tingog, ACT-CIS and Ako Bicol. Their allied party-lists in Makabayan, ACT Teachers, and Kabataan earned one seat each in Congress.
They said the challenge to seek reforms, including protecting the party-list system that has been “bastardized” by politicians, now rests on the newly elected party-lists in Congress.
“We challenge the newly elected party-lists in Congress: be genuine representatives of the people. Stand against corruption, resist militarization, and uphold the rights of the marginalized. Do not be complicit in the continued exploitation and repression of the poor,” Bayan Muna’s statement said.
Bayan Muna, Redtagging
