Violence and fraud in the Isabela elections
The filth and violence of local politics in Isabela reflect those of reactionary politics at the national level. Even now, we can already foresee the fate of the coming national polls.
On May 12, the Dy dynasty in Isabela brazenly committed fraud in the special elections held to select the replacement of fourth district congressman Antonio Abaya, who passed away. The Dys and Eduardo �Danding� Cojuangco�s Nationalist People�s Coalition (NPC) favored their minion and Cojuangco relative Giorgidi Aggabao and ganged up on Dr. Asuncion Abaya, the late congressman�s widow.
Isabela is one of Cojuangco�s main strongholds. Cojuangco and Dy have been in close collusion in this province to protect their political and economic power. Through Aggabao�s victory, they expect to continue their antipeople projects, principally the large-scale seizure of lands for cassava plantations, which of late has encompassed the fourth district of Isabela. They also need to maintain the area as a solid base for their election schemes in 2004.
Despite the Cojuangco-Dy-Aggabao cabal�s employment of massive repression and violence, bribery and vote-buying, Abaya clearly defeated Aggabao based on the canvassing of votes at the municipal level. But the results were reversed during the canvassing in Ilagan, the capital of Isabela, where Dy himself and police and 5th ID troops stood watch and forbade the public, including poll watchers and Abaya�s lawyers, from witnessing the counting.
Not content with this, on May 15, Dy�s henchmen killed Engr. Joaquin Soriano, Abaya�s campaign manager and Bayan Muna municipal coordinator in Jones, for refusing to support Aggabao. Dy�s camp even brazenly spread intrigues against the New People�s Army and made it appear that it was the latter that killed Soriano. Dy�s men sent Bombo Radyo DZNC a fake statement by Ka Delio Baladon, spokesperson of the Benito Tesorio Command of the NPA in southern Isabela, purportedly admitting Soriano�s killing. The people at Bombo Radyo, however, immediately noticed the falsity of the statement and confirmed that it was the military that sent it.
The following day, a motorcade was launched that wound through nearly all the towns of the fourth district to assail the fraud that transpired and the murder of Soriano. Several hundred vehicles and thousands of people joined the motorcade, including members of Bayan Muna, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other progressive organizations. Peasants, youth, church people, professionals and anti-Dy politicians, among others, issued statements and joined the protest actions.
On May 24, a motorcade was launched anew and joined by thousands of people. More than a thousand people later attended Soriano�s burial, where various spokespersons denounced the Dy clique. The program culminated with the reading of the Benito Tesorio Command�s tribute to Soriano.
Such strong censure of the Dy dynasty never before seen in southern Isabela is sure to intensify as the 2004 elections draw near and the Cojuangco-Dy cabal resorts to even filthier political maneuvers.
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