12 more excluded from party-list polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) junked the applications for accreditation of 12 new party-list groups that are seeking to run in the 2013 polls, bringing to 92 the number of disqualified organizations.

The 12 groups are Ako An Bisaya whose nominees include former Iloilo congressman Rolex Suplico; 1 Alliance Advocating Autonomy Party whose top nominee is former transportation secretary Pantaleon Alvarez, and Akbay Kalusugan Inc. which listed former social welfare secretary Corazon Alma de Leon as a nominee.

Others are Manila Teachers’ Savings and Loan Association Inc., Association of Local Athletics Entrepreneurs and Hobbyists Inc. (Ala-Eh), Sports Excellence For Healthier Life’s Journey (Sel-J), Isang Kasambahay Po Association Inc. (Kasambahay), 1 Serve The People, A Democratic Alliance (A Dahon), 1 Para Sa Bayan (1PSB) and Alab ng Pusong Pinoy Inc.

Brillantes said the full Comelec reversed the earlier decisions of the poll body’s divisions to grant the applications for accreditation of these groups.

“These are granted in the division but reversed in the en banc when they underwent automatic review. Those for automatic review are those that were granted in the division,” he said.

Those denied in the division level and are subjects of motions for reconsideration also undergo automatic review.

Brillantes noted the Comelec had decided not to give due course to the 12 groups’ petition for accreditation after finding that their nominees are not marginalized.

He cited the case of Manila Teachers, which is seeking to represent not the teachers but the savings and loan association of teachers.

Brillantes added that they would finish reviewing and deciding on all pending party-list groups by the first week of December so they could start the printing of ballots in January 2013.