Labor Center hails Rep. Beltran expose

“The expose of Rep. Crispin ‘Ka Bel’ Beltran of ANAKPAWIS Party against the bribery attempt made by Francis Ver is a mark of a true statesman, putting the interest of the people before personal gains. His decades of service to the workers and the people have tempered his principles.”

This was the reaction of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Labor Center on the expose made today by Rep. Beltran that Francis Ver, Deputy secretary-general of Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) offered him PhP 2M to support the impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Roel Pulido against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. KAMPI is the political party of Arroyo.

According to news reports, Ka Bel is only one among the other lawmakers who were asked to endorse the impeachment complaint. Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez also revealed that it was the same person who approached and bribed him to endorse the said complaint. Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez and Justin Chipeco and were also asked by other Arroyo allies to support the impeachment.

“The revelation made today by Ka Bel underscore the massive corruption happening in the Arroyo regime. After the ZTE National Broadband Network (NBN) fiasco, we are again facing another bribery attempt. This is definitely a clear blow to an already low trust rating of the people when it comes to the House of Representatives. It seems the place is for horse trading rather than creation of laws. The House of Representatives should get to the bottom of this,” said Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, National Chairperson of the KMU.

The labor leader stressed the Arroyo regime is out to quell any attempt to file a legitimate impeachment complaint. “Massive corruption, extreme poverty and continued human rights abuse is rocking the regime. The filing of a weak complaint is a calculated move by Arroyo to hold back the snowballing of protest against her. By filing a doomed complaint, it pre-empts any attempt of filing of an impeachment complaint which can really hold water,” opined Labog.

“Despite his old age and various ailments, Ka Bel still bears the mark of a true labor leader. He is the voice of the working-class in the Lower House and we support him,” ended Labog.