SC asked to reverse partylist ruling

The Supreme Court building in Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Partylist representatives on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision that allowed non-marginalized groups to participate in the partylist polls.

In its motion for intervention and motion for reconsideration, Representatives Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna), Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis) and Luzviminda Ilagan (Gabriela) asked the high court that they be allowed to intervene in the case filed by various disqualified partylist groups against the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“As sitting congressmen, Representatives Colmenares, Mariano and Ilagan have a right to challenge the [Supreme Court decision] which nullifies a long established law and doctrine regarding the partylist system of elections, specifically that the same is an electoral arena intended solely for the marginalized and underrepresented sectors; as voters, they have a right to intervene in a matter that involves the electoral process; and as public officers, they have personal interest in maintaining the trust and confidence of the public in its system of government,” intervenors said.

Early this month, the high court revised the partylist rules it laid down 12 years ago after it ruled that groups not representing marginalized and underrepresented sectors can participate in partylist polls.

The high court ruled that “Sectoral parties or organizations may either be ‘marginalized and underrepresented’ or lacking in ‘well-defined political constituencies.’ It is enough that their principal advocacy pertains to the special interest and concern of the sector.”

In their motion for reconsideration, the lawmakers said the partylist system is a “social justice mechanism that would enable the marginalized and underrepresented sector become veritable lawmakers themselves. The constitutional intent was to open the party-list system only for poor or marginalized groups.”

“Political pluralism in elections does not mean expanding the participation of dominant traditional political parties through the partylist system. Rather it means providing the marginalized and underrepresented sectors an opportunity to become members of Congress which has long been dominated by the elite and traditional politicians,” intervenors said.

Aside from allowing the non-marginalized groups to participate in the partylist polls, the high court has also set new parameters which the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was instructed to adhere to in determining which group may participate in the party-list polls.