Supreme Court asked to disqualify Mikey

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court was asked yesterday to rule on a petition to disqualify former presidential son Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo from representing security guards and tricycle drivers in Congress.

Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello said Arroyo failed to comply with requirements of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to become a nominee of party-list Ang Galing Pinoy.

Party-list nominees must submit documentary evidence to prove that they truly

belong to marginalized and underrepresented sector in consonance with the Constitution and Republic Act 7941, the Party-list System Act, he added.

Bello said Arroyo should have submitted the following:

• A track record showing his active participation in the undertakings of Ang Galing Pinoy;

• Proof that he truly adheres to the advocacies of the organization; and/or

• Certification that he is a bona fide member of the party-list group.

Bello said the required documents should have been submitted last March 29 at the latest.

However, a check with the Law Department of Comelec showed that Arroyo had not submitted any of those as of April 6, he added.

In dismissing the petitions to disqualify Arroyo, the Comelec said he need not belong to a marginalized sector to be able to represent security guards and tricycle drivers in Congress.

This ruling was upheld by a majority of commissioners: Nicodemo Ferrer, Lucenito Tagle, Elias Yusoph and Armando Velasco in their consolidated resolution last July 19.

Ferrer, who penned the decision favoring Arroyo, said the party-list system law does not require a nominee to be a member of the marginalized or underrepresented sector.

“To say that a sectoral nominee must be marginalized is to amend the law,” he said. 

“We are just interpreting the law and those who are questioning our decision have not read our resolution.”

Reyes might also sit in Congress

Former energy secretary Angelo Reyes might also sit in Congress as representative of party-list 1-United Transport Koalisyon (1-Utak).

Sources said the Comelec second division will soon promulgate a ruling dismissing a petition seeking to prevent Reyes from sitting in the House of Representatives.

Ferrer, a member of the second division, confirmed that the poll body has already drafted the decision on the case of Reyes.

“The ruling got a 2-1 (vote) among the three commissioner-members of the second division,” he said.

However, Ferrer declined to reveal the contents of the decision pending the promulgation of the ruling.

Former lawmakers Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza, along with party-list Bayan Muna and Gabriela and transport group Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston), had sought the disqualification of Reyes on grounds that he cannot be considered a member of any marginalized or underrepresented sector as required for a sectoral nominee in the House of Representatives.

1-Utak party-list seeks to represent drivers of jeepneys, buses, tricycles, taxis, trucks and FX vans; operators, and commuters. -- With Mayen Jaymalin