Party-list rows still hanging

Comelec Chair Andres Bautista INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has yet to resolve cases involving party-list groups that have two sets of nominees even as it already proclaimed the winning groups two weeks ago.

According to Comelec Chair Andres Bautista, the commission en banc still has to come out with a decision recognizing the rightful faction that shall represent the party-lists.

“We have several party-lists with two sets of nominees. We still need to decide on which faction should rightfully occupy the seats,” said Bautista in a radio interview.

Based on Comelec Resolution No. 10061, there are six party-list groups with two sets of nominees, namely the Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP); Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens in the Philippines (Senior Citizens); Citizens Battle Against Corruption (Cibac); 1st Consumers Alliance for Rural Energy Inc. (1-CARE); Adhikaing Tinataguyod ng Kooperatiba (Ating Koop); and Mamamayan Tungo sa Maunlad na Pilipinas (MTM Phils).

Of the six, Senior Citizens secured two seats; while TUCP, Cibac and 1-CARE each won one seat in the May 9 polls.

On the other hand, Ating Koop and MTM Phils both failed to win a seat in the last party-list race.

On May 19, the Comelec, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, proclaimed 46 winning party-list groups, from which the 59 sitting party-list solons will be sourced from.

However, the Comelec has yet to award the certificates of proclamation to those party-lists with two sets of nominees pending the resolution of their cases.

In a separate interview, Bautista said the commission still has before June 30 to come up with the decision on party-list cases.

“We still have enough time to resolve these cases because the new lawmakers will not assume until June 30,” said Bautista.