No final Comelec ruling yet on Duterte Youth

MANILA, Philippines — While the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gave due course to the Duterte Youth party list group’s bid to substitute its nominees, it is not an assurance that the same decision will be rendered on the issue over the qualifications of former National Youth Commission chair Ronald Cardema as one of its substitute nominees.

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon appealed to the public to allow the poll body to hear the case first.

“Don’t judge the commission en banc yet. A hearing will be set soon,” Guanzon said in her Twitter account (@commrguanzon).

A different issue

Commissioner Luie Tito Guia shared the same sentiments.

“I would like to think that us commissioners have our own opinions … We have different opinions on different issues,” he said in an interview.

“If it is a different issue, opinions may change. It is not always linear. I don’t think it’s like that,” he added.

The Comelec will conduct on Tuesday a hearing on the petitions opposing the bid of Cardema to become the substitute nominee of Duterte Youth mainly due to his being overaged.

Both Guia and Guanzon stressed that Cardema would not be able to occupy the lone seat in the House of Representatives won by the party list until he had been given the certificate of proclamation (COP) as a party list nominee.

“Only those without any problems have been given COPs … I don’t think he (Cardema) has been given [COP] yet,” Guia said.