Comelec to probe ‘sale’ of party-list accreditations

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. on Thursday said the poll body is open to an inquiry on the alleged “party-list accreditation for sale” scam exposed by several congressmen the other day.

Early this week, Bayan Muna party-list Representatives Neri Colmenares and Teddy Casiño filed House Resolution 2472, which calls on the committee on suffrage and electoral reforms to investigate Comelec officials reportedly asking for millions of pesos in bribes in exchange for approving or facilitating the accreditation of party-list groups.

“As I told our congressmen [in a hearing the other day in the House], we also want to know if such a thing happens in the Comelec. We are definitely ready to cooperate,” Brillantes told reporters.

He added that his office could not make an internal investigation on the matter since it would most likely involve personnel from the agency.

Colmenares said there were reports that corrupt Comelec officials were again making rounds asking bribes from party-list applicants.

“The fact that a party-list group can afford millions for bribe money immediately shows that it does not belong to the poor and marginalized sectors. If we allow these fake party-list groups to buy their accreditation, then it is just a matter of time that the party-list system is completely ruled by the rich and the powerful who can afford to pay bribes and ease out genuine representatives of the people,” he said in the House hearing.

Brillantes, a former election lawyer, said he has no idea who among the Comelec officials could be behind the “fixing” of accreditation applications.

“If that is proven, no more questions… we will make sure [that they will be punished],” he said.