Comelec accepts Duterte Youth’s third set of nominees

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has accepted the Duterte Youth’s third set of nominees due to the lack of available nominees for the proadministration party list group.

Under Minute Resolution No. 19-0849, the full commission approved the withdrawal of the group’s second set of nominees as doing so was “merely ministerial” on their part. It noted that its recognition of the new set was because “practically the list of nominees is exhausted in view of the withdrawal.”

Misrepresentation

The third set of nominees, however, did not include Ronald Cardema as the Comelec’s law department said that it deemed it “proper to refrain from providing any recommendation” especially that the poll body’s First Division had already canceled his nomination.

In August, Cardema was found to have committed material misrepresentation on his qualifications as the group’s first nominee.

The law provides that youth party list representatives should be at least 25 years old and no older than 30 on the day of the election. Cardema is 34.

The Comelec approved nominees are Ducielle Marie Cardema, Guillermo Villareal Jr., Krizza Reyes and Robert Garcia. They replaced Gian Carlo Galang, Catherine Santos, Kerwin Pagaran and Sharah Shane Makabali.

As it accepted Duterte Youth’s new set of nominees, the Comelec denied the opposition of election lawyers Sixto Brillantes Jr. and Emilio Marañon III to the substitution, who called the group’s move as “illegal” and tantamount to a mockery of the law and the party list system.

“[The law] recognizes the submission of additional nominees once the list is exhausted. To rule otherwise would result to an absurdity not contemplated by law,” Comelec said in Minute Resolution No. 19-0850.