Comelec yet to verify Pialago's substitution as nominee for new party-list
By Dhel Nazario
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will have to check if Malasakit Movement Partylist's Celine Pialago was able to make it to the substitution deadline set by the poll body on Nov. 15, 2021.

"I have yet to verify that she is in fact a nominee of that party-list. And I would like to see the paperwork on that to see when the substitution petition was filed," Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.
Under Section 11 of Comelec Resolution 10717 promulgated on Aug. 18, 2021, withdrawal of nominations and substitution of nominees due to the withdrawal of the acceptance to the nomination shall be in writing and under oath, and filed with the Law Department not later than Nov. 15,2021.
Section 12 of the same resolution states that no substitution shall be valid if filed beyond Nov. 15, 2021 unless the list of nominees originally submitted has been exhausted due to death and/or incapacity of the nominees.
"The party, within 10 days from the exhaustion of the original list shall file with the Law Department a list of its substitute nominees, their certificates of nominations and acceptance, and an affidavit executed by the secretary-general and the chairperson or president of the party attesting that the substitute nominees possess all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications provided by law. Provided that substitutions due to the death and/or incapacity of the nominees under this paragraph shall be allowed only up to mid-day of election day," the resolution further stated.
The Comelec Office of the Clerk of the Commission said the Pialago's Malasakit Movement was excluded citing the resolution of its pending incident.
"The OCOC hereby notifies that party-list registrant Malasakit Movement Inc. (Malasakit Movement) has been excluded in the final listing of party-list candidates to appear in the ballot in connection with the May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections in view of the resolution of its pending incident," it said.
In a statement on Feb. 9, the camp of Malasakit Movement Partylist announced that Pialago moved to Frontliners ang Bida Party-list and stated that she is set to be part of the party's nominees but it's still being worked on.