As I write this piece, the Comelec has yet to complete the canvassing and announce the official results of the senatorial and partylist elections in the May 13 midterm elections. The oversight committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives has vowed to conduct an investigation and public hearings on the matter. However, as regards the Duterte government’s declared intention to defeat or obliterate the Makabayan Coalition and its five militant partylist groups now constituting a steadfast bloc in the House – Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women’s Party, ACT Teachers, Anakpawis, and Kabataan Partylist – the regime has done some harm. The materials called for “zero votes for Makabayan partylists,” listing the names of the parties and tagging them as “front organizations of the CPP-NPA.”This happened even in Metro Manila. Bayan Muna consistently led in both the Pulse Asia and SWS surveys as the most-favored partylist candidate, from January to April 2019.

Source: Philippine Star May 17, 2019 16:00 UTC