Comelec has no intention to scare off party-list groups, says Brillantes

MANILA, Philippines—Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said Tuesday that they have no intention to scare party-list groups when he made a recent announcement saying that the final list of groups qualified for the midterm elections will be finished with more than 100 groups delisted.

In an interview with Erwin Aguilon of “Dyaryo sa Radyo” on Radyo Inquirer 990AM, Brillantes said it was just the media who are pushing Comelec to make a statement on how many more are likely to be disqualified, adding that they won’t be making further announcements as such, but will instead release the decisions as they come in.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. earlier said Comelec was subjecting partylist groups to “torture,” saying that it was “wrong” to announce a particular number of groups who will probably face disqualifications and not naming them.

Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Earlier reports also said Belmonte urged Comelec to just make a single announcement on their decision.

However, Brillantes said they will make piecemeal announcements of decisions as to give disqualified groups a chance to file a petition before the Supreme Court in a bid to change their fate in the upcoming midterm elections next year.

“[kung] aantayin namin lahat yan . . . baka maubos oras nila pumunta sa Korte Suprema,” the Comelec official said.

The final list, he said, will be completed in the middle of November, but noting that as of the moment, more than 30 groups have been taken out of the list.

For the full interview, listen to the attached audio clip from Radyo Inquirer 990AM.