NUSP urges Comelec to ditch Cardema as Duterte Youth sub

MANILA, Philippines — The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday to disapprove National Youth Commission (NYC) chair Ronald Cardema’s application to become the substitute nominee for the Duterte Youth party-list.

In a statement, the NUSP said its youth leaders alongside College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) and University of the Philippines opposed Cardema’s intent to substitute his wife Ducielle Marie Suarez Cardema as Duterte Youth’s first nominee.

“Comelec should junk Cardema’s shady tactics which mock the party-list system,” NUSP National Spokesperson Raoul Manuel said in the statement.

“He has been exposed as nothing but a power-hungry fraud in service only to himself and his patron Duterte. The youth will not let this stand,” he added.

Poll watchdog Kontra Daya had also called on the Comelec to reject Cardema’s application.

“The independence of (the Comelec) will be seriously put into question if it allows this illegal substitution for a known Duterte ally. Allowing it will cement public perception that the Comelec is under the control of the Duterte cabal in Malacañang Palace,” the group said.

READ: Party-list race: Comelec asked to reject Cardema as wife’s sub 

Meanwhile, Malacañang told Cardema to vacate his post as he’s already deemed resigned after he filed for substitution as the said party-list’s first nominee.

“The petition for substitution of National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Ronald Cardema as the first nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list, as well as the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec’s) confirmation that it was timely filed (May 12), connotes that he is considered ipso facto resigned from his present post,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

READ: Palace says Cardema deemed resigned, urges him to vacate NYC