5 more partylists axed

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday announced that it has barred five more groups from running in the 2013 party-list race.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr said that the following existing party-lists had been denied their accreditation: Confederation of Non-Stock Savings and Loan Associations, Inc. (Consla) and Itenerant Vendors Alliance of the Philippines (IVAP)

He said that two new applicants – 1 Pinoy para sa Kalikasan and Empleyadong Nagtataguyod ng Bagong Anyo ng Kapaligiran (EN BANK) were – also disapproved by the poll body’s en banc.

Meanwhile, the existing group Partido ng Bayan Ang Bida was retained as a political party but was not allowed to participate in the party-list elections next year.

Brillantes noted that the decisions on the groups were not unanimous, but that they were disqualified because “they do not represent marginalized sectors.” The groups claimed to represent environmentalists, vendors, and loan associations.

Brillantes, a former election lawyer, emphasized that he inhibited from voting in Consla’s case because the group was his former client.

He noted that the poll body should come up with its final list of disqualified groups by Thursday, saying that he wanted to finish the issue of partylists to concentrate on preparations for the elections.

The poll body had earlier announced that it had so far approved 79 partylist groups for next year’s midterm elections. Brillantes had also earlier noted that he believes that a maximum of 100 partylists would be approved by the poll body.

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