Business group seeks LPGMA disqualification

MANILA, Philippines - A business group has insisted on its bid before the Supreme Court (SC) for the disqualification of the LPG Marketers Association Inc. (LPGMA) from the party-list elections.

The Federation of Philippines Industries Inc. (FPI) asked the high court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from printing LPGMA in the ballots.

In a 25-page petition, FPI argued that LPGMA should be disqualified since it does not represent a marginalized and underrepresented sector.

It stressed that although the group won a seat in Congress during the

2010 polls, the Comelec should strictly implement Section 2 of Republic Act 7941 (Party-list System Act) that states: “The State shall promote proportional representation in the election of representatives to the House of Representatives through a party-list system of registered national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations or coalitions thereof, which will enable Filipino citizens belonging to marginalized and underrepresented sectors, organizations and parties.”

“While LPGMA’s contribution in Congress has not been clear, it is obvious that the effect of its election so far is solely to advance the interest of its members vis-à-vis other businessmen engaged in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) business. It has perpetrated and still seeks to perpetuate a basic unfairness that defeats and makes a travesty of proportional representation,” argued FPI through its chairman Jesus Arranza.

FPI is a federation of 40 industry groups and 87 businessmen.

LPGMA is represented in the House by Arnel Ty.