Sotto: PH party-list system is ‘misinterpreted, abused’

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday questioned the Philippine party-list system, saying he remains very disappointed by how it has been “misinterpreted and abused.”

At the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation public hearing, Sotto said party-list members should ideally represent marginalized, underrepresented, or specific sectoral groups.

“Who are the really marginalized? That’s what the Constitution says marginalized, right? Are those provincial groups marginalized? They have so many congressmen. How did regions with so many congressmen become marginalized?” he said in Filipino.

The Senate chief said he hopes a law will soon be passed on the matter to prevent misinterpretations.

READ: Sotto eyes revamp of party list system

“Like what Comelec Chairman [George] Garcia suggested earlier, and as the Supreme Court says—that it should be 50 percent political groups and 50 percent [others]—again, my question: Are political parties really marginalized? How can they be marginalized? They already have so many seats—in the Senate, in the House, right? In provincial boards and city councils, they have ample representation. So how are political parties considered marginalized?” he said in Filipino.

He suggested that the law adhere to the original intent of the party-list system, which should be limited to and reserved for marginalized groups.

Sotto filed a bill seeking to amend the 30-year-old Republic Act No. 7941, or the Party-List System Act of 1995, to realign the system with its original purpose of truly representing marginalized and underrepresented sectors.

The measure also outlined additional grounds for canceling the registration of party-list groups, including failure to represent marginalized and underrepresented sectors; members or nominees not belonging to these sectors; direct or indirect involvement in acts detrimental to the government’s best interests; ceasing to be a marginalized sector; and material misrepresentation of nominees. /mcm