Comelec OKs 24 partylist groups for May polls, bars 11 others

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has allowed 24 partylist groups to run in the May 13 elections and disqualified 11 others after the Supreme Court (SC) remanded their cases to the Comelec.

“We have decided already on the partylists and we are coming out with resolutions,” Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. told reporters Monday.

The 24 approved partylists are 1-Care, Bayani, Aama, Akma-PTM, AKB, Aani, Unimad, Alim, Firm 24-k, Aral, Butil, Abroad, 1Bro Pgbi, ARC, 1Ganap, A Blessed, ABP, Aro, Apec, Ako Bahay, Agri, Aangat Tayo, Green Force, and Kakusa.

These partylists comply with the guidelines issued by the SC when it remanded their cases back to Comelec, Brillantes said.

Meanwhile, the 11 cancelled partylists are: A-Ipra, Abang Lingkod, Anad, Ang Galing Pinoy, Atong Paglaum, Senior Citizens, Smart, 1st Kabagis, Bantay, Cocofed, and Binhi.

Three other partylists will have a rehearing because when the commissioners voted, they were tied at 2-2, Brillantes said.

“I did not want to vote because whichever way I voted it would not reach the required four votes to make a decision,” he said.

They have rescheduled a rehearing for the three partylists Pacyaw, 1-Utak and Pasang Masda so that newly appointed commissioners Luie Guia and Al Parreno will be able to develop their own opinions of the partylists so they could vote.

Since all the ballots have already been printed and the names of partylists are still in the ballots, the votes for disqualified partylists will no longer be counted.