BMP-NCRR rally at Shangri-La Hotel, re: anti-Sin Tax

BUKLURAN NG MANGGAGAWANG PILIPINO

National Capital Region-Rizal (BMP-NCRR)

PRESS RELEASE

5 December 2012

Militants Warns the Public of the Imminent Horse-Trading 

by Lawmakers in the Bicam Conference

Militant labor group expressed its grave distrust at the bicameral conference committee because of the composition of the delegates from both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The group denounce the whole process and claimes that the bicameral conference shall only serve as a abysmal stamp pad of the Malacanang masterminded, Department of Finance designed tax measure.

According to Gie Relova, Secretary-General of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino-National Capital Region and Rizal Chapter, "The lawmakers sent by their respective chambers are not looking to fulfill their mandates to the Filipino nation but only seek opportunities to fatten their bank accounts from the lobby groups of tobacco and alcohol corporations".

"Everyone knows that the major contention in the bicameral conference is the percentage of how much of the tax revenues shall be sourced from, either the tobacco or alcohol industries. Surely, the lawmakers expect that lobby money from major industry players shall flow from all directions and fraudulent tactics shall be employed" Relova said. 

Relova was also quick to add that "this monumental battle royal between corporate heavyweights such as Lucio Tan, Danding Cojuangco and new player, the British American Tobacco will be an exercise to secure their trillions of pesos in profits after the government has already secured its own interests at the expense of the country's marginalized sectors" 

The BMP believes that bicameral committee conference is just a lame ceremony to fulfill the legal requirements and the sin tax measure is already done deal, as far as the government is concerned. The militant labor group also denounced the politicians for their misplaced loyalty to the resident of Malacanang Palace in order to gain favors in the coming 2013 National Elections.

"The workers and our marginalized countrymen have everything to worry about. The credibility and track record of these lawmakers has been punctuated with their support for many anti-poor legislative measures. Just recently, their votes on the sin tax bill in their respective chambers is evident enough to earn our distrust in them and the whole process" the BMP leader concluded.

The militants vowed to make the lawmakers pay heavily in the coming elections by waging a nationwide negative campaign against those who supported the sin tax bill.