Poll official: Nix kin of gov’t officials as party list reps

MANILA, Philippines — Relatives of government officials up to the fourth degree of consanguinity and affinity should not serve as nominees of party list groups, Commission on Election Commissioner Rowena Guanzon on Tuesday told a Senate hearing on electoral reforms.

Guanzon also wants party list nominees to submit their statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth to the Comelec.

In pushing for amendments to the party list law, the poll official said the system had been “bastardized” with special business interests representing marginalized sectors.

“Rich people are financing the registration and election of party list groups [contrary to] the intent of the Constitution,” Guanzon said.

The hearing tackled a bill filed by Sen. Leila de Lima meant to improve the party list system and to ban relatives up to the third degree of incumbent local and national officials, including senators, vice president and president, from being nominated as a party list representative.

Poll watchdog Kontra Daya meanwhile urged the Comelec to review its rule on whether the one-year ban on the appointment to government position of losing candidates also applies to losing party list nominees.

AA Kasosyo party list nominee Mocha Uson, who lost in the elections, was appointed deputy administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration just four months after the May 2019 polls.