Comelec disqualifies more party-list groups

Paterno R. Esmaquel II

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The Comelec is halfway through the process of screening party-list nominees, says poll body chief Sixto Brillantes Jr

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has disqualified at least 20 more party-list groups from participating in the 2013 elections, Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes Jr told reporters Thursday, October 4.

Konti pa ‘yon,” Brillantes told reporters. (That’s just some of them.)

This brings to 37 the number of disqualified party-list groups, after the Comelec earlier disqualified 17 groups. Brillantes, however, declined to release a list of disqualified groups in an ambush interview during the filing of certificates of candidacy at the Comelec headquarters.

Brillantes said the Comelec will release next week an authoritative list of candidates disqualified so far. He said the Comelec is still deliberating on the party-list candidates, with the poll body having finished at least 50% of the task.

A means to ensure that marginalized groups get represented in Congress, the party-list system has been criticized for allowing even millionaires to run as party-list representatives. “Our problem here is if you are a multimillionaire but you are representing the urban poor then that’s a little bit doubtful,” Brillantes said.

Some groups have even criticized the Aquino administration for making a “mockery” of the party-list system. They referred to allies of the Aquino administration, such as the group Akbayan, many of whose members now sit in government.

“For the sake of the integrity and credibility of the partylist system, President Aquino should tell his allies who are not marginalized and are in fact well-entrenched in government, to back off from the partylist system,” said Kontra Daya convenor Fr Joe Dizon in a statement – Rappler.com

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Paterno R. Esmaquel II

Paterno R. Esmaquel II, news editor of Rappler, specializes in covering religion and foreign affairs. He finished MA Journalism in Ateneo and MSc Asian Studies (Religions in Plural Societies) at RSIS, Singapore. For story ideas or feedback, email pat.esmaquel@rappler.com