Dumb bigots

It's strike two.

Danton Remoto has just been declared a nuisance candidate by the Comelec. He's my top pick for senator (see sidebar). Danton represents Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people. Their group, Ang Ladlad, is seeking party list accreditation. The Comelec has denied them accreditation claiming that the party cannot show proof of "national membership." It seems the Comelec needs proof that LGBTs also exist in each of the provinces and cities and towns and barangays in the Philippines. Talk about denial.

Victor Wood has not been declared a nuisance candidate. The singer from the 70s who figured in many embarrassing television shows in recent years due to incoherence or variants of strange behaviors like mimicking Kris Aquino on public television while being interview by her, is fit for senator but Danton who is professor at the Ateneo, multi-awarded poet, author and editor of many books, is not.

What can I say, the COMELEC is not only a bunch of people who cannot count; they are also a bunch of bigots. Worse, they are dumb bigots.

Shame.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Bong, are you one of them? Just asking!
vic said…
I would say, the rule of eliminating candidates as nuisances is discriminatory as it is subjective to the judgement of personalities whose loyalty and impartiality can not be guaranteed. Again, I would like to compare the rule of “nuisance candidates" in our settings.

The rule is all citizens that can legally vote can also run for any elected office.

Although in our Federal Government all Members of the House are represented by the Four Major Parties, there are more than a dozen parties, including the Communist Party, the Green, and all kinds of Protest Parties and single issue parties. And the rule for eliminating nuisance candidates, before they even file for candidacy is not so complicated.

> Candidates are nominated by party membership or endorse by party executives.

> Most independent candidates are discouraged to run for the odds of winning is slim.

> Every candidates (including the party and the party associations) are required to engaged an individual treasurer, usually a volunteer, to record all contributions and expenses and subject to audit by electoral body and the revenue agency. (Individual contributions are entitled to tax credit up to 75% to a certain amount).

> Every candidate, represented by a party or independent, is required to put up a “nuisance deposit” with the Electoral Body, which is forfeited to the Treasury if a minimum vote is not obtained as per Guidelines.. This one alone, almost eliminates non-serious candidates to even think of filing their candidacy.

There is no need for Election Canada officials to do the Job the Comelec is doing right now. Because to tell the candidate, you there is not qualified and you there is ok is like playing Tic-Tac-Toe...
Anonymous said…
The party name might have something to do with it, to some degree.
The moniker, "Ang Ladlad" sounds like it has no objective other than to promote gay rights.

I think most people have no problem with promotion of gay rights, per se. But if you get elected to Congress or the Senate with no other interest in mind, then there is a problem.

Remember Richard Gomez' party several years back, "Mamamayan Laban sa Droga"? The impression is, wala ka na bang alam tungkkol sa ibang issues, kungdi yan lang? In short, a one-track mind?
Anonymous said…
nthomas - you should research on the party list law first before you blabber about what you just blabbered. the reason why ang ladlad wants to be accredited for partylist is precisely because they want to promote gay rights and equality. That is what a party list is about. duh.
ubermensch14 said…
I agree with jher.

But if you still want to vote for someone who is competent enough to vouch for other issues, Danton fits the bill of someone who has the interests of the academe in mind.

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