Party-list group Magsasaka recently conducted a special general assembly and victory party led by lawyer Argel Cabatbat, following the Supreme Court (SC) decision, declaring that Soliman Villamin, Jr. was validly removed from his position as national chairperson.
Former Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary and Federation of Free Farmers chairperson Leonardo Montemayor as well as highly decorated former Philippine Marine Corps officer Ret. Col. Ariel Querubin were present at the gathering in support of the party-list.
A total of 7,996 delegates from Central Luzon also attended the assembly from the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Bulacan, Pampanga, Aurora.
Cabatbat emphasized the Magsasaka party-list truly represents the interests of Filipino farmers and described the SC ruling as a significant triumph, not just for the organization, but for Filipino farmers nationwide.
“The farmers own the Magsasaka party-list. You (farmers) must be obeyed. You should be heard. The decision is yours on who you want to lead. We are not like other party-list groups that are owned by a few,” he said in Tagalog. “Our victory in the Supreme Court is a victory for farmers, your victory.”
Meanwhile, the farmers who attended the general assembly also insisted on holding the election of council leaders as promised to them last August 11 in San Fernando, Pampanga.
In a decision penned by Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez, the SC upheld that Villamin was rightfully ousted as national chairperson of Magsasaka party-list and his first nominee, Roberto Gerard Nazal, Jr., cannot serve as party-list representative.
Marquez wrote that while the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has limited jurisdiction over intra-party leadership, it does not mean that the poll body can substitute its own judgment for that of the party.
“The Comelec cannot disregard the Party’s actions simply because these do not appear to be in line with the Comelec’s interpretation of the party’s Saligang Batas (Constitution). A party must be allowed to interpret its own governing rules and remove officials from participating in its own affairs,” Marquez said.
