A party-list congressman on Monday called for a boycott of legislators who supported the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law and other similar legislation during the May elections.
Senators and congressmen who voted for that “anti-people law” have no place in the legislature and should not be voted, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said.
Casilao, a member of the Makabayan Bloc, said that aside from the Train Law or Republic Act 10963, the RA 11203 Rice Liberalization Law, RA 8041 Water Crisis Act or privatization of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, the RA 8479 Oil Deregulation Law and other laws and policies are detrimental to the welfare and interests of poor sectors.
“Let us choose opposition bets to show that we are protesting against its measures, and that we demand real change, not ‘trapo’ promises,” Casilao said.
“Let us fight for an independent Senate,” he added.
Casilao added that a Senate that pays homage or “sunud-sunuran” to the executive branch is a breach of separation of powers and sabotages democratic governance.
“The candidates we are endorsing are those who committed to repeal the TRAIN Law, so that price hikes of basic goods and services could be arrested, for the benefit of poor sectors,” he said.
Instead, Casilao said the public should vote for candidates who push for wage hike of workers, champion Philippine interests over the West Philippine Sea, oppose charter change, protect due process or rule of law, women's rights, and human rights, and push for peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front.
