MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) dismissed the poll protest against Rep. Sarah Elago (Kabataan party-list), ruling that the party-list that contested the election results did not have the right to do so.
In its resolution dated March 18 but only released to the media by Kabataan on Thursday, the HRET ruled that YACAP party-list did not have legal standing to file the protest as it only obtained the seventh highest number of votes following Kabataan in the 2016 elections.
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Rule 17 of the HRET rules state that only candidates who obtained the second or third highest number of votes can file electoral protests before the tribunal.
The HRET said through Supreme Court Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang that those who can file an electoral protest against Kabataan are only the AKMA-PTM and SBP party-lists who got the second and third highest votes following Kabataan.
"The rule limiting an election protest … is mandatory … and was meant to prevent the filing of unnecessary and frivolous actions before the tribunal," the HRET said.
Elago welcomed the “good news” of HRET’s favorable decision and thanked fellow advocates and lawyers who stood by her party-list.
"Sa kabila ng tumitinding panggigipit at panunupil sa boses ng Kabataan, tangan natin ang lakas ng ating pagkakaisa sa paggampan ng makasaysayang papel bilang pag-asa ng bayan, at ng mandatong maglingkod para sa interes ng kabataan at sambayanan," she said.
(Despite the intensified suppression and repression to the voice of the youth, we carry the strength of our unity in fulfilling our historical role as the hope of our nation, and our mandate to serve the interests of the youth and the people.)