Women oppose Macalintal's appointment as Comelec chairman

UPDATED 4:00 p.m. - Women's groups on Thursday expressed their opposition to the possible appointment of election lawyer Romulo Macalintal as the new chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Elizabeth Angsioco, national chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), said, ‘Atty. Macalintal may be a good election lawyer but his being a religious conservative and his intolerance to views opposing his are dangerous. We need more progressive or at the very least open-minded people in COMELEC.’ DSWP a national federation of almost 300 community women’s groups with around 40,000 individual members. “We must remember that Macalintal, together with Prolife Philippines harassed and shouted at Catholic reproductive health (RH) advocates, virtually calling them Satan outside the Manila Cathedral on 20 November last year," Angsioco said in a statement issued on Thursday. "Macalintal’s intolerance, even arrogance, was caught on video. He was also seen trying to grab one of the cameras. Thus, the prospect of having someone like him calling the shots in COMELEC is quite alarming," Angsioco added. Together with other advocates, Catholic pro-RH community women, went to the Cathedral on November 20 because of Prolife’s open invitation to a discernment discussion on the RH bill. The advocates were allegedly shooed away and labelled as "Satan" by Macalintal’s group. ‘Irrelevant, shallow’ Macalintal however just brushed aside DSWP’s criticisms, describing the group’s claims as “irrelevant" and “shallow." “Wala namang kinalaman ‘yung sinasabi nila sa posisyong ito. Napakalayo at napakababaw ng pananaw nila sa bagay na ito," he told GMANews.TV in a phone interview on Thursday. The election lawyer, who served as former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s counsel during her administration, also said he does not care what critics have to say. “Bahala sila kung ano ang gusto nilang gawin. Hindi ako natatakot sa sasabihin ng tao. Gagawa ako ng desisyon batay sa batas ng Diyos at tao," he said. He added that he is not yet sure whether he will accept the post of Comelec chairperson if President Benigno Simeon Aquino III offers him the position. “Gusto ko lang malaman nila na hindi ko pa tinatanggap ‘yung posisyon at hindi ko pa alam kung tatanggapin ko ito kung ako ang mapili. Kay Presidente ko lang maaaring sabihin ‘yun," he said. ‘Strong’ opposition Angsioco however asserted that the Aquino administration should be “forewarned" about Macalintal’s “attitude" towards RH bill advocates and groups. "What will a Chair like Macalintal do in the face of pro-RH candidates and party list groups? How will he decide for instance, on issues of representation of gays and lesbians? Or those favoring the re-legalization of divorce? Will his intolerance be reflected in his decisions?" Angsioco asked. Angsioco said, "The government should not take this risk for surely, this will be met with strong opposition from candidates and pro-RH organizations alike.’ ‘We strongly oppose Macalintal for COMELEC [chairpersonship]. After all, there is no dearth of qualified candidates for the post," she said. "We call on the Liberal Party to review its support for Macalintal and on Pres. Aquino to NOT APPOINT a conservative and intolerant person to hold the highest position in this very important body," she added. – with Andreo Calonzo, VVP, GMANews.TV