Two partylist groups are set to challenge the Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) decision to suspend their proclamation.
On Monday, May 19, the Bagong Henerasyon (BH) and Duterte Youth Partylists stated that the COMELEC had suspended their proclamation as the winning partylist before the House of Representatives, due to pending legal cases. The groups said the COMELEC announced the suspension of their proclamation on the day of the ceremony.
Duterte Youth Partylist
In a Facebook post, the Duterte Youth Partylist announced they will be challenging the COMELEC’s “grave abuse of discretion” before the Supreme Court. This is in relation to the poll body’s decision to delay the proclamation of their three nationally elected congressmen.
Their post indicated that COMELEC informed them of the temporary suspension, only a few hours before the proclamation ceremony.
The three congressmen-elect are Drixie Cardema, Berlin Lingwa, and Ron Bawalan.
According to COMELEC, their suspension stemmed from a case filed by the Kabataan Partylist in 2019. The Duterte Youth Partylist Chairman, Ronald Cardema, will challenge the “very clear grave abuse of discretion from the Comelec.”
“Sinagot na namin lahat yan sa Comelec noong 2019, mga mababaw na issue na wala naman katotohanan. Pinaupo na kami noon after manalo sa 2019 elections, pinaupo na kami after manalo sa 2022 elections, at ngayon na milyon-milyong Pilipino ang bumoto samin, ngayon mismong araw ng proclamation sasabihin na ihold muna dahil serious yung allegation ng Kabataan Party-List noong 2019,” the partylist questioned.
“Kung ganun ka-seryoso yun bakit hindi niyo agad dinecisionan after noong huling hearing natin noong 2019 pa. This is definitely a grave abuse of discretion para lang ihold now ang pinili ng milyon-milyong Pilipino, election na nga lang ang proof na may demokrasya pa sa bansa, paglalaruan niyo pa kung sino ang makakaupo sa binoto ng milyon-milyong botante, grave abuse of discretion,” they added.
Bagong Henerasyon Partylist
In a separate Facebook post, the BH Partylist said that the COMELEC abruptly announced the suspension of their proclamation, without informing them beforehand.
“Maliwanag po: Walang natanggap, nakita, o kahit na narinig man lang ang Bagong Henerasyon ukol sa diumano’y kasong ito. Paano kami mapapanagot sa isang akusasyong hindi pa nga namin alam, walang pangalan, walang pormal na detalye, at walang pagkakakilanlan?” their statement read.
The partylist group said they are ready to face any complaints, as long as it would go through the right process. They also pointed out that this would be considered a violation of the Philippine Constitution.
BH Partylist stated that they have already filed an urgent Motion to Proclaim before the COMELEC.
“Nanawagan kami sa COMELEC: pairalin ang batas. Naghain na po kami ng Urgent Motion to Proclaim sa inyong tanggapan. Gawin po ninyo ang tama. Gawin ang makatarungan. Gawin ang nararapat para sa taumbayan,” they stated.
COMELEC Chairman George Garcia announced that only 52 of the 54 partylist groups that won seats in the recent elections would be proclaimed during the ceremony on Monday afternoon at the Manila Hotel.
Garcia did not disclose the names of the groups excluded from the ceremony at the time.
