Ecija, Pampanga group seeks probe of party-list purge

A PARTY-LIST group representing farmers from Nueva Ecija and Pampanga appealed to Congress to investigate what it said was the “anomalous” process by which party-list groups are being disqualified as the next elections draw near.

In a statement, Butil Farmers’ Party said the process had been inconsistent in its selection of disqualified groups.

In a recent press conference, Butil Rep. Agapito Guanlao said several other party-list groups shared his group’s clamor for an investigation.

“As of now, we see no basis for the Comelec’s  (Commission on Elections) decision to disqualify some party-list groups,” said Guanlao.

Butil’s accreditation as a party-list group has been reinstated by the Supreme Court in a status quo ante order issued against the Comelec’s disqualification of Butil.

Guanlao said the high court ruling was a victory for farmers but was just a first step to genuine farmer representation in the House of Representatives.

“The battle is far from over,” said Guanlao in the statement. “Farmers now have to prove that the Supreme Court is right in giving us a chance,” he said.