Comelec to consider DOLE ruling on TUCP dispute

MANILA, Philippines - To decide which faction of party-list nominees of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) should be recognized, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will look into how the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) resolved the leadership dispute in the group.

“The issue for us is do we recognize the DOLE recognition or do we make our own determination independent of DOLE?’’ Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said.

The TUCP obtained 368,883 votes during the May 13 party-list race, earning one seat at the House of Representatives. But TUCP has been beset with a leadership row. It submitted two sets of nominees to the Comelec.

One set is comprised of Raymond Democrito Mendoza, Anthony Sasin, Miguel Niez, Michael Democrito Mendoza and Ramon Certeza. The other set is composed of Roland de la Cruz, Alejandro Villaviz, Temistocles Dejon, Jr., Nestor Nerbes and Joseph Francia.

In a decision dated Aug. 10, 2012, DOLE junked the claim of former senator Ernesto Herrera as TUCP president. Herrera is backing the Dela Cruz faction.

Brillantes noted that the TUCP is the last group with two sets of nominees that is pending before the Comelec. A hearing is set on Tuesday.

“We can adopt the DOLE ruling as we have what we call ‘judicial notice.’ Should we recognize another while it is already in the labor department? Or should we make our own decision? Let’s see,” Brillantes added.