Supreme Court: Proclaim 2 more party-list winners

The Supreme Court ordered the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday to proclaim two more groups as winners in the party-list elections.

In a five-page resolution, the High Court said they found the Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) and the Citizen’s Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) have passed the two-percent requirement needed to have a seat in Congress.

Three other party-list groups now have representatives in Congress: the Luzon Farmers Party (Butil) and left-learning organizations Akbayan and Bayan Muna.

APEC, which is entitled to two seats in the House of Representatives having garnered 5.36 percent of the total votes cast, "addresses the issues of job creation, poverty alleviation and lack of electricity," the High Court said.

Cibac is also qualified since it is "composed of the underrepresented and marginalized and is concerned with their welfare."

Cibac, the High Court added, "is particularly interested in the youth and professional sectors." It obtained 2.13 percent of the total votes cast.

Emmanuel "Joel" Villanueva, son of evangelist Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus Is Lord (JIL) movement, is Cibac’s nominee.

The Supreme Court held that while APEC’s nominees were all professionals, it also listed as its members "peasants, the elderly, youth and women."

It dismissed allegations that APEC was just an "extension" of the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperative Inc. (Philreca).

As for Cibac, the High Court said there is "no substantial proof" that it is merely an arm of JIL." The eight-point guidelines set by the tribunal specifically bar organized religious groups from joining the party-list elections.

Nominees of APEC and Cibac will be joining Bayan Muna Reps. Satur Ocampo, Crispin Beltran and Liza Maza, Akbayan Rep. Loreta Ann Rosales and geodetic and civil engineer Benjamin Cruz of Butil in the 12th Congress.