Comelec adds 2 party-list representatives

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has added two more party-list representatives to the growing membership of the House of Representatives.

The Comelec qualified the two even as it tries to trim down the list of legitimate party-list groups that it would allow to participate in the May 2013 congressional-local elections.

The new representatives who have taken their oath of office before Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. are Wesley Gatchalian of Alay Buhay and Zenaida Maranan of 1-United Transport Koalisyon (1-UTAK).

Their addition to the House brought to 287 the total membership of the chamber.

Party-list representatives enjoy the same perks and privileges as those elected from legislative districts, including P70 million in annual pork barrel.

It is not clear why six months before next year’s elections, the Comelec continues to add new party-list members to the House even while it is disqualifying incumbent representatives from next year’s party-list race.

Gatchalian is a brother of Valenzuela City Rep. Rex Gatchalian and three-term Valenzuela Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian. Their father is businessman William Gatchalian of the Wellex group, a close friend of former President Joseph Estrada.

Rex Gatchalian has filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor, while the incumbent mayor is seeking to replace his congressman-brother.

Alay Buhay, which claims to represent small businessmen, is a new party-list group which the Comelec ruled should be represented in the legislature. It is different from Buhay, another party-list group currently represented in the House.

Buhay is identified with Bro. Mike Velarde’s El Shaddai. Its representatives are Velarde’s son Michael and Irwin Tieng. For next year, its nominees are Michael Velarde, Tieng and former Manila mayor Lito Atienza.

Maranan, leader of an organization of jeepney operators and drivers, replaces Homer Mercado, a bus operator who has given up his House seat apparently following an internal struggle in 1-UTAK.

Mercado and his supporters have since organized a new party-list group they called 1-Joint Alliance for the Marginalized (1-JAM).

Even before the May 2010 elections, 1-UTAK had been wracked by infighting. The late defense secretary Angelo Reyes had tried to represent the group.

There are now 44 party-list groups in the House with 57 representatives.