Comelec urged to disclose all substitution bids

MANILA, Philippines — Poll watchdog group Kontra Daya urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday to disclose other party list groups which filed petitions for substitution so the public could scrutinize and oppose, if need be, their attempts to join the party list system.

In the light of former National Youth Commission chair Ronald Cardema’s last-minute bid to be the official nominee of the Duterte Youth party list, Kontra Daya convener Danilo Arao said there was a need for the Comelec to be transparent on others that had  made similar petitions.

Backdoor route

“[T]he Comelec should state categorically if there are other withdrawals and substitutions that happened. Given the current lack of transparency, the people cannot help but suspect that it is not only Cardema who has resorted to a backdoor route in getting a party list seat in the House of Representatives,” Arao said.

While Cardema filed his substitution bid hours before Election Day, the public only knew about his move after Kabataan party list questioned the withdrawal of Duterte Youth’s five official nominees to give way to Cardema.