ELECTIONS chairman George Garcia yesterday said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will set the proclamation of the Bagong Henerasyon (BH) party-list group next week at the earliest.
This as the Comelec en banc cleared the final hurdle for the group’s proclamation as it issued a Certificate of Finality and Entry of Judgment on the dismissal of the disqualification petition lodged by petitioner Russel Geronimo.
Garcia said they are looking at proclaiming BH party-list next week.
“Expect the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) to proclaim BH party-list any moment from now,” he said, adding that “there is a possibility that the proclamation may happen early next week.”
In its Certificate of Finality, the Comelec said: “Now, therefore, in view of the foregoing, the Resolution of the Commission (en banc) promulgated on 30 May 2025 is hereby declared immediately executory under the Comelec Rules of Procedure, and Comelec Resolution No. 11046.”
On the other hand, the Entry of Judgement stated: “Accordingly, the Resolution promulgated on 30 May 2025, being immediately executory, is entered into the Book of Entries of Judgment, in accordance with the Comelec Resolution No. 110462 and Comelec Rules of Procedure.”
The poll body it has not received any restraining order from the Supreme Court (SC) stopping the implementation of its decision junking Geronimo’s petition.
The Comelec First Division dismissed Geronimo’s petition to disqualify the BH party-list in the May 12 polls after he failed to furnish a copy of his petition to the respondent through personal service, and his failure to attach a copy of the certificate of nomination-certificate of acceptance of nomination (CON-CAN).
Geronimo appealed the panel’s ruling, which the Comelec en banc dismissed as it ruled that the First Division was correct in insisting on the importance of complying with mandatory requirements set in the poll body’s Rules.
The pendency of the disqualification case against BH party-list prompted the NBOC to suspend its proclamation.
The BH party-list got 319,803 votes in the May 12 elections, entitling it to one seat at the House of Representatives.
DUTERTE YOUTH
In a related development, Garcia said the poll body will issue a show cause order against Duterte Youth party-list first nominee Drixie Mae Cardema asking her to explain allegations that “Cardema” is not her true surname.
The poll body has yet to proclaim Duterte Youth as a winning party-list group in the May 12 elections pending the resolution of disqualification petitions filed against it.
“On social media, she is being accused of using a different family name, not her real family name. We just want to know the truth,” Garcia said.
“Any moment now, the first nominee of Duterte Youth will receive a show cause order because of the allegations of using a different family name,” he added.
Various social media posts have accused Drixie Mae of supposedly misdeclaring her surname in her certificate of acceptance of nomination (CAN) as the first nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list, where she listed her name as “Drixie Mae Suarez Cardema.”
Drixie Mae is the sister of Ducielle Suarez Cardema, who is the wife of Duterte Youth chairman Ronald Cardema. She is listed as “single” in her CAN.
Garcia said they are issuing the show cause order motu propio.
“If the Comelec does nothing, we will be criticized for not lifting a finger even though there are evidence available,” he said.
Similarly, he said the move will allow Drixie Mae the proper venue to dispute allegations thrown against her.
If found to have made false declarations in her CAN, Garcia said she may be held accountable.
“If found lying, that can be a perjury case and an election offense. That is what we want to determine,” he said.
Asked if the issue concerning Drixie Mae would affect the pending disqualification cases faced by Duterte Youth, Garcia answered in the negative.
“In the meantime, we are not seeing any effects on her standing as number one nominee and their possible proclamation,” he said.
