ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN SIDELIGHTS: POLITICS OF THREAT AND INTIMIDATION

There are people in politics who are willing to do everything and anything just to win.

They threaten or terrorize people, they buy votes through rice and money and worst of all they lie.

One of the biggest lies being peddled now by politicians in power in North Cotabato is the claim that if the beneficiaries of the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program, which gives out cash assistance to poor families, will not vote for them and their candidates, their names will be purged from the list of beneficiaries.

This scheme employs both threat and outright lying.

Local politicians have nothing to do with the Conditional Cash Transfer or 4Ps.

Here is an official statement issued by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Dinky Soliman in answer to these false claims:

“No more threats. No more epal.

“These are the main thrusts of Bawal Ang Epal Dito Campaign of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to be launched from January to May 2013 to protect the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, from undue politicking and interventions that may affect the program’s integrity.

“Bawal Ang Epal Dito confronts the issues of external pressures and eliminates the misconception of the beneficiaries about the control of politicians or parties over Pantawid Pamilya. More importantly, it seeks to empower the beneficiaries to know their rights and to be vigilant of individuals and/or groups who plan to use the program to push for their personal agenda.

“With the upcoming 2013 elections, politicians are out to use the program to gain leverage. Through the Department’s Grievance Redress System, beneficiaries continuously gave feedback that politicians are allegedly claiming to have the authority to enlist and delist them from the program.

“Walang karapatan ang kahit sino na mag-alis ng pangalan. Ang may karapatan lang ay ang DSWD Regional Office at National Office,” [No one has the right to delist a beneficiary. Only the DSWD Regional and National Office are authorized] DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said. “DSWD lang ang may karapatang tanggalin ang benepisyaryo sa Pantawid kung hindi siya susunod sa mga itinakdang kondisyon,” [Only DSWD has the right to delist a beneficiary if s/he will not comply with the conditionalities] Sec. Soliman emphasized.”

This statement puts an end to all these false claims being made by politicians, who isntead of convincing people to vote for them, are employing threats and intimidation.

(photo credit: A picture of 4Ps beneficiaries in front of a bank ATM machine downloaded from DSWD website.)