Supreme Court asked to delist LPG dealers as party-list group

The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) wants the Supreme Court to cancel the registration of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers Association (LPGMA) as a party-list group, saying the group is neither marginalized nor under-represented.

In a statement, FPI chair Jesus Arranza said the tribunal should decide on this case and not the Commission on Elections (Comelec), since it was the Comelec that erred in allowing LPGMA to run for a seat in Congress.

“The (Comelec) had gravely abused its discretion when it approved LPGMA’s accreditation just before the conduct of the May 2010 elections,” he said.

He filed an urgent motion for early resolution of the case on Monday.

According to Arranza, remanding the case to the Comelec would just prolong its resolution. LPGMA president Arnel Ty’s term at the House of Representatives would have already run out before the case is finally resolved, he said.

As a party-list representative, Ty sits as a member of Congress for three years or until 2013.

Arranza said the Supreme Court could actually decide on the case now since concerned parties had already submitted their position papers, including the Office of the Solicitor General.