MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections has disqualified four party-list groups because they are identified with the opposition, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero said Sunday as he decried the poll body’s decisions against the four groups.

Escudero said the four opposition groups that were stricken off the list for the 2010 polls simply by being vocal against the Arroyo administration are: Magdalo, Filipinos for Peace, Justice, and Progress Movement (FPJPM), Migrante, and Ang Ladlad.

“These are very legitimate groups whose intentions are to serve the public with reform in mind. I cannot comprehend why the poll body easily decided on disqualifying them,” he said in a statement.

He said the poll body may have committed grave abuse of authority for these decisions.

Escudero said overseas Filipino workers have lost a voice in Congress when the Comelec rejected Migrante’s application to participate in the party-list elections next May.

“Despite fulfilling the requirements, the poll body found a way to block this group known to be vocal against the President’s foreign policy,” he said.

At the same time, Escudero said Comelec’s decision to disqualify Ang Ladlad was vague, using faith as a reason for junking the group’s application.

According to the resolution, “Should this commission grant the petition, we will be exposing our youth to an environment that does not conform to the teachings of our faith.”

Escudero, however, argued that these moral claims are too ambiguous to justify the party’s disqualification.

“Are the Comelec commissioners saying that immorality is only exclusive to lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transsexuals (LGBT)?” he asked.

The 40-year-old senator added that the legal basis that the Comelec used was Article 2, Section 13 of the Philippine Constitution. In that provision, “The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civil affairs.”

“In his own words, Elections Commissioner Nicodemus Ferrer said that there are enough gays in Congress that would make them represented in society already. If these allegations are true, then are these legislators against nation-building because of their sexuality?” he asked

Escudero said that he sees no contradiction with being a member of the LGBT community and inculcating patriotism and nationalism. “The Comelec has dug a hole so deep that it has to answer so many questions that they cannot respond to in a legal manner,” he said.