By Leslie Aquino
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) en banc has affirmed the decision of its First Division declaring Ronald Cardema as ineligible as nominee of the Duterte Youth partylist.
Ronald Cardema (Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In a Resolution promulgated February 5, the COMELEC en banc said Cardema's withdrawal of his Motion for Reconsideration solidified the ruling in the Assailed Resolution that unmistakenly declared Respondent as not eligible for representation of Duterte Youth in the House of Representatives.
"Respondent, by his own voluntary act of withdrawing as the nominee of Duterte Youth, has finally accepted the decision of this Commission (First Division) that he is not eligible as a nominee of Duterte Youth, which decision is now final and executory," read the resolution.
"Wherefore, premises considered, the Commission En Banc affirms the Resolution dated 05 August 2019 of the Commission (First Division) and resolves to grant the Motion to Withdraw (Verified Motion for Reconsideration filed on August 13, 2019). The Resolution dated 05 August 2019 of the Commission (First Division) is now Final and Executory," it further read.
In the resolution, the en banc said with the categorical finding that Duterte Youth represents the youth, "we find that indeed respondent is not eligible to represent the youth sector."
"The Comelec (First Division) ruled, and we affirm that respondent cannot represent the professional sector because respondent is clearly affiliated with the youth," it said.
"All told, we give our stamp of approval to the findings of the
Commission (First Division) that Respondent is not eligible for nomination as the youth representative of Duterte Youth in the House of Representatives," said the en banc.
The Comelec First Division earlier declared Cardema as ineligible for being overaged since under the law, a youth sector party-list representative must be between 25 to 30 years old.
Cardema's camp them submitted a motion seeking a reversal of the decision of the Comelec First Division. In his motion, he insisted that he is not over-aged since Duterte Youth is a multi-sectoral party and not solely for the youth sector.
He later withdrew his MR as well as his nomination as First Nominee of the Duterte Youth Party-list.#