Comelec urged: Defer party-list proclamation

CEBU, Philippines - The Sanlakas party-list is hoping that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will postpone the announcement and proclamation of winners for party-list elections until after concerns of disqualified groups are settled.

Atty. Aaron Pedrosa, Sanlakas Sugbo Secretary General and the party-list's 3rd nominee, said they are hoping the Comelec would mend first the issues on party-lists' they have initially disqualified.

“It would be best for Comelec to rid the list of those that it previously disqualified. The votes of the 12 disqualified party-lists are reflected in the canvassing.”

Pedrosa said that removing the party-lists the commission disqualified would affect the threshold for those who would qualify given the two percent requirement.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said yesterday that they may proclaim partial winners already once they finish canvassing more than 130,000 votes in San Pablo City and finish proclaiming all winners by Monday.

Based on a report, Brillantes said that the National Board of Canvassers will see if they should include the votes for 12 disqualified party-lists.

Last May 6, Comelec cancelled the accreditation of 11 party-list groups, namely; A-Ipra, Abang Lingkod, Anad, Ang Galing Pinoy, Atong Paglaum, Senior Citizens, Smart, 1st Kabagis, Bantay, Cocofed and Binhi. The commission also disallowed the party-list Kap, to join the elections. The number has been decreased even with the earlier decisions of the Comelec to disqualify party-lists that were misrepresenting a marginalized sector.

Based on the official tally of the Comelec yesterday, on the top 25 list for party-list groups were Buhay, A Teacher, Bayan Muna, 1-CARE, Akbayan, Ako Bicol, Abono, OFW Family, Gabriela, Senior Citizens, COOP-NATCCO, AGAP, CIBAC, Magdalo, An Waray, Abamin, Act Teachers. Butil, ACT-CIS, Amin, LPGMA, Kalinga, TUCP, YACAP and AGRI.

According to Pedrosa, there are 10 that should not be in that list if the basis is on party-list groups that are well representing the marginalized sector based on the constitution.

Based on the Comelec server as of 8:00am yesterday, Sanlakas was at the 83rd spot.

“Sanlakas, among the few groups composed of marginalized sectors, is up against so-called party-list groups who have the money, resources and even institutional support from organized interests. Clearly, the playing field is not level.”

Pedrosa said that whether the issues are resolved before the proclamation or not, in the long run, “the party-list system should be purged of fake party-lists who continue to undermine the party-list system of representation.” (FREEMAN)