Comelec bars 7 more partylists from 2013 polls

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday barred seven more partylist groups from running in the 2013 midterm polls.

In a press conference, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said that the poll body’s en banc, in unanimous votes, decided to deny the request for accreditation of the following groups:

1. Fitness Pinoy Association Inc.
2. Pinoy Aasenso Ka
3. Ahente
4. Ang Sandigan ng mga Batang Lansangan (Asabala)
5. Bantay Overseas Contractual Workers (OCW) Foundation, Inc.
6. Samahan ng Nagtataguyod ng Daang Matuwid (Sandama) and
7. 1 Abante na Pinoy Inc

The Comelec has been undergoing a re-evaluation of old and new partylist groups as part of their efforts to cleanse the party-list system, which has been criticized as being dominated by bogus organizations or by groups whose nominees were either multimillionaires, former government officials or members of powerful political clans.

Brillantes said that the seven groups were rejected because just like the previous cases, the groups were “not marginalized and underrepresented.”

This new batch brings to 34 the total number of new applicants the poll body has so far denied.

Brillantes also said that the poll body would finish their decisions on partylists and would release the final listing of canceled, granted, and disqualified partylist groups by Thursday, November 29.

“Tomorrow (Wednesday) we will be finishing with a good number of further cancellations and then on Thursday lahat ng granted….. this will be the final listing,” Brillantes said.

He said that the Comelec would be disqualifying “controversial” groups within the week. He, however, did not name the groups but said that they were controversial because the commissioners were “divided” on their votes.

Brillantes also emphasized that based on their projection, a maximum of 100 partylist groups would be allowed to join the mid-term elections next year.