Guanzon sits as P3PWD’s representative
Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon.
MANILA, Philippines — Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon will represent the P3PWD (Komunidad ng Pamilya, Pasyente at Persons with Disabilities) Party-list in Congress.
This, after the Comelec granted on Wednesday the withdrawal of the nomination of P3PWD’s five nominees namely Grace Yeneza, Ira Paulo Pozon, Marianne Heidi Cruz Fullon, Peter Jonas David, and Lily Grace Tiangco.
The poll body likewise approved the new list of nominees which includes Guanzon as the first nominee.
The other new nominees are Rosalie Garcia (second nominee), Cherrie Belmonte-Lim (third nominee), Donnabel Tenorio (fourth nominee), and Rodolfo Villar Jr. (fifth nominee).
According to Comelec acting spokesperson Rex Laudiangco, quorum was achieved during the en banc meeting.
When asked if the move would make the party-list system vulnerable to hijacking, Laudiangco answered, “in a way, not really.”
“In a way, hindi naman po, kasi ang candidate naman po in the Party-List System of Representation Elections ay ang Party-List Groups,” he noted.
(In a way, not really, because the candidate in the Party-List System of Representation Elections is the Party-List Groups.)
“Unless there is a clarificatory amendment to [Republic Act No.] 7941, particularly on Sections 8 and 16, this would be the rule to be followed by the Commission in similar cases,” he further elaborated.
The spokesperson also shared that Guanzon did not participate during the deliberation of P3PWD’s application when she was still a commissioner.
“P3PWD’s Petition for Registration was granted by the Comelec Second (2nd) Division, then composed by Commissioner Socorro B. Inting and Commissioner Antonio T. Kho, Jr.,” Laudiangco said.
“Former Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia V. Guanzon [did] not participate po in the hearing and grant of P3PWD’s Petition for Registration as a party-list organization,” he continued.
P3PWD secured a seat in the House of Representatives after receiving 391,174 votes in the May 9 elections.
