MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to form a team that will look into the guidelines for party-list nominations.
This is in the wake of a Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the case of the P3PWD (Komunidad ng Pamilya Pasyente at Persons with Disabilities) party-list group granting a petition questioning the substitution of former poll body commissioner Rowena Guanzon as a nominee that won a seat in the 2022 elections.
“Sa part ng Commission, gagawa kami ng team para magbigay payo ano ang mga provision ng guidelines sa party-list na dapat baguhin para maging consistent sa decision ng SC. Sa substitution, kapangyarihan ng Comelec… administrative at quasi judicial function namin (On the part of the commission, we would create team to make possible revisions on the provisions of guidelines for party-lists that must be revised consistent with the SC decision. In terms of substitution, that is within the power of the Comelec, we have an administrative and quasi judicial function),” Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said in an interview Thursday.
He added that they are ready to proclaim the nominees of the party representing the vulnerable sector.
“Kapag ang party-list nagsumite na ng nominees nila, hindi na kami mag MR (motion for reconsideration) sa SC. Kaagad na namin ipapatupad ‘yan (If the party-list submits their nominees, we would not file an MR before the SC anymore. We would enforce it immediately),” Garcia added.
Garcia said it would be unfair for the affected party-list if it would not be represented in Congress.
“Para naman makahabol sa term, kaagad kami magpoproklama. Pero siyempre, depende sa party-list ‘yan. Kung mag MR sila, hindi final and executory ‘yung decision (For them to immediately serve the remaining term, we would proclaim immediately. But if would depend on the party-list. If they file and MR, the decision is not final and executory),” he added.
The SC, in a decision, said: “The petition is granted. Comelec Minute resolution dated June 15, 2022 is declared null and void for having been issued with grave abuse of discretion insofar as it approved the substitution of the nominees of respondent P3PWD Party-list. The court’s restraining order dated June 29, 2022 is made permanent.”
The court ordered P3PWD to submit additional nominees, “but is strictly enjoined from renominating” the nominees whose substitutions were declared null and void by the decision.
The Duty to Energize the Republic Through the Enlightenment of the Youth (DUTERTE Youth) party-list, represented by its chairperson Ronald Cardema, was the petitioner in the case. (PNA)