Palace: Rody ties with left complicated

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday described as “complicated” the relationship between President Duterte and the political left after members of the Makabayan bloc announced that they are assessing if they would remain with the majority coalition. 

The bloc, composed of seven party-list representatives, will meet on the issue after the Commission on Appointments (CA) rejected the appointment of agrarian reform secretary Rafael Mariano, a known member of the left. 

Fr. Edwin Gariguez, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) national secretariat for social action, slammed the rejection as he accused CA members of favoring the interest of landlords.

“We are terribly disappointed. Again, the CA has displayed its true colors, not as representatives of the people but of business and landlord interests,” the priest stressed in an interview.

His office earlier called for the confirmation of Mariano’s appointment.

“There is no more hope with the present administration on the issue of pushing for pro-poor justice agenda for the farmers. It will be back to status quo, business as usual in DAR,” Gariguez lamented. 

Mariano has been accused of supporting violent activities against landowners’ properties, including the New People’s Army (NPA) raid of the Lapanday plant in Davao City last April. He denied the allegations and maintained that he performed his mandate within the bounds of the law.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, when asked whether the President still considers those from the Left as allies, said the issue is “complicated.”

“The President continues to be open… However, there must be an agreement on both sides. You know, when you say left, that’s a very broad label covering just about everybody, from the Cabinet secretaries, all the way to those who are in the field,” he added. 

Abella noted that everyone, including leftists, has the right to express beliefs in a democracy. 

Last month, the CA also rejected the appointment of social welfare secretary Judy Taguiwalo, another left-leaning Cabinet official. 

Despite the rejection of Taguiwalo and Mariano, some individuals associated with the left are still with the Duterte administration, including National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) chief Liza Maza, labor undersecretary Joel Maglunsod and dential Commission for the Urban Poor chairman Terry Ridon.

Asked whether the remaining left-leaning officials have expressed intentions to quit, Abella said: “It’s going to be their call if they resign or not resign.” 

In northern Luzon, left-leaning indigenous peoples (IP) and farmers groups expressed their disappointment over Mariano’s rejection by the CA.

Windel Bolinget, chair of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) and convenor of Sandugo – an alliance of national minorities, indigenous people and Moros – said the rejection “only shows that the present Duterte administration is against farmers and IPs.” 

“Ka Paeng’s rejection only shows that the present regime serves the interest of landlords and big businesses and does not care less about poor farmers and indigenous peoples,” Bolinget said.

Zaldy Alfiler of the Solidarity of Peasants against Exploitation said farmers in Ilocos are also disappointed as they noted that Mariano, in his year-long stay with the Department of Agrarian Reform, has “done more than all those who came before him.”

Alfiler claimed that “Mariano is the only DAR secretary who stood against big landlords and capitalists like what he did against owners of Lapanday and Hacienda Luisita.” – With Edu Punay, Artemio Dumlao