ELECTIONS chairman George Garcia yesterday said names of the official nominees of party-list groups participating in next year’s midterm and local elections will be published this week on the website of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow the public to scrutinize them.
In a phone interview, Garcia said the publication of the nominees’ names would allow the public to screen them.
“This is so they (public) will know who are the nominees and be able to check if they really belong to the sectors they claim to be part of. This can, then, be used to file (disqualification) cases against them,” he said.
Some 156 party-list organizations have been given the green light to be included in the official ballots for the May 2025 polls.
All party-list groups were required to identify 10 nominees from which the party-list representatives shall be chosen in case it obtains the required number of votes.
Garcia called on the electorate to scrutinize the qualifications of the party-list nominees looking to win seats in the House of Representatives.
“Let us know them, analyze them, and be critical (of their qualifications),” he said.
Under Resolution No. 9366, the qualifications for a party-list nominee include being a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, must be a registered voter, a resident of the Philippines for a period of not less than one year immediately preceding election day, must be able to read and write, must be a bona fide member of the party he seeks to represent for at least 90 days preceding Election Day, and must be at least 25 years of age.
Comelec rules provide that any person may file a verified petition to deny due course to the nomination of party-list nominees exclusively on the ground that a material misrepresentation has been committed in the qualification of the nominees.
The poll body said all petitions to deny due course or cancellation of nomination of party-list nominees shall be filed within five days after the publication of the list of nominees.
The Comelec on Friday held an electronic raffle that determined the placements of the 156 party-list organizations in the official ballot for next year’s elections.
The top 12 spots went to 4PS (Pagtibayin at Palaguin ang Pangkabuhayang Pilipino), PPP (Puwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat), FPJ Panday Bayanihan, Kabataan, Duterte Youth (Duty to Energize the Republic through the Enlightenment of the Youth, ML (Mamamayang Liberal), PBBM (Pilipinas Babangon Muli), P3PWD (Komunidad ng Pamilya Pasyente at Persons with Disabilities), Murang Kuryente, Bicol Saro, Ipatupad (Ipatud for Workers, Inc.), and Patrol (Public Safety Alliance for Transformation and Rule of Law, Inc.).
The CLICK party-list group secured the 34th spot. The group’s first nominee is lawyer Nick Conti, a former commissioner of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) and the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).
“We are proud to be #34 on the ballot. It is a number we hope our supporters will keep in mind as we continue our advocacy for greater digital access, innovation, and empowerment through technology,” Conti said after the raffle.
The CLICK party-list aims to represent key stakeholders of the Philippines’ digital ecosystem, which includes over 85 million internet users, 156 million mobile connections, 84 million social media users, and 80 million mobile wallet users.
The digital community also consists of 57 million e-commerce buyers, 10 million cryptocurrency users, 48 million e-sports enthusiasts, 1.5 million freelance content creators, over 2 million online sellers, 2.2 million overseas Filipino workers, and 12.3 million senior citizens.
A total of 124 out of 156 accredited organizations attended the raffle.
The electronic raffle was first introduced in the 2022 polls to determine the order of the listing of party-list groups in the official ballots. It was adopted to avoid organizations from jostling for names in alphabetical order or via numbers.
POLITICAL DYNASTIES
Despite the absence of a law against political dynasties, the multisectoral group Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan (ANIM) yesterday called on the public to file disqualification cases against political aspirants seeking to replace or succeed immediate family members that are incumbent public officials.
In a statement, ANIM urged the public to take action against members of political dynasties seeking to extend their hold on public posts during the May 2025 polls.
“We are encouraging the public to file separate disqualification cases against the dynasties in their respective areas because these dynasties can only be disqualified as candidates or removed from office if a disqualification case is filed against them,” said ANIM lead lawyer Alex Lacson.
“If no disqualification case is filed against them, they will remain in office,” Lacson said.
Citing Article II, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution which provides that the State shall “guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law,” Lacson said it was the clear intent of the framers of the 1987 Constitution to prohibit political dynasties.
“It was the clear intention of the framers of the 1987 Philippine Constitution that the immediate family members of a graduating congressman, governor, or mayor are prohibited and disqualified from running for the same position to replace and succeed their graduating relatives,” he said.
He also said: “All provisions of the Constitution are presumed to be self-executing. And in case of doubt, it must be resolved in favor of that presumption, that the constitutional provision is self-executing.”
ANIM said it has filed petitions for the disqualification of former President Rodrigo Duterte, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Sen. Cynthia Villar, Ilocos Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc, and Catanduanes Vice Governor Peter Cua.
“These political dynasties have turned politics into a family business, using the machinery of our government, for their personal enrichment rather than the public good,” it said.
Lacson said ANIM is prepared to assist anyone who would want to file disqualification complaints before the Comelec.
“We can send them the pro-forma Petition for Disqualification whether against a congressman, governor, or mayor. They will just fill in the blanks. We will also provide a step-by-step guideline,” he said.
In a related development, a candidate for councilor in Las Piñas City has asked the Comelec to investigate the identities of persons allegedly involved in a vote-buying operation during the filing of certificates of candidacy last October 7.
Lawyer Zardi Melito Abellera from the city’s District 1 sent the poll body a letter and attached a USB which contained a one minute and 26-second video clip showing a woman wearing a white shirt checking or listing the names of attendees and handing out money to a woman who signed the list before leaving.
“The brazen vote-buying conducted in public should be investigated and the participants prosecuted to send a message to the public that the Comelec shall strictly implement the country’s election laws,” Abellera said in his letter.
