New Comelec listing for partylist faces tough opposition from lawmakers

MANILA, Philippines — Some partylist lawmakers on Tuesday balked at the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) resolution to raffle off the ballot order sequence for party-list groups for the 2013 elections and said that they would submit a formal comment on the issue.

Comelec’s Resolution No. 9467 will change the usual alphabetical listing of partylist groups by raffling the order of their listing in the ballots.

Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption Representative Sherwin Tugna, one of the lawmakers questioning the new listing, said he and his colleagues will submit a formal comment opposing the resolution.

He said that the new method of listing partylist groups would confuse voters.

Yacap Representative Carol Jane Lopez and DIWA Representative Emmeline Aglipay said that the new sequence would be cumbersome to visually impaired voters.

Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares said that the issue could even be questioned by the Supreme Court.

He said that random listing of partylists would be chaotic and time-consuming and could “clog up precincts due to the fact that it will take more time for voters to look for their partylists.”

Colmenares also expressed worry that with difficulty in finding the name of their chosen partylists in the ballot, voters “may just forego voting for party-lists which would lead to their disenfranchisement.”

But several partylist lawmakers like Alagad Representative Rodante Marcoleta and Agham Representative Angelo Palmones said that they will not oppose the resolution but urged Comelec to launch an information drive on the changes in the order of party-list group names.