Philippines
Comelec says it follows guidelines in approving party-list groups amid Kontra Daya's claim
Comelec says it follows guidelines in approving party-list groups amid Kontra Daya's claim
By Dhel Nazario
After poll watchdog Kontra Daya pointed out that the country's party-list system continues to be hijacked by the rich and powerful, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Friday, March 4, that they follow guidelines in approving groups.
Commissioner Aimee Ferolino said that amid the criticisms and the reactions that party-list groups were used as a backdoor to enter in the legislative branch, she said that the Comelec is guided by criteria and requirements that a petitioner must complete for their accreditation as a party-list group to be approved.
"Aside from that we have the Atong Paglaum case which is the case that sets guidelines that a party, a group need not be marginalized as long as it has advocacies," she said.
"So unless those guidelines and prevailing jurisprudence is changed, we will abide by those guidelines," she added.
She also stated that they refer back to the people to choose the right party-list to vote for.
On the other hand, acting Comelec chair Socorro Inting emphasized that the poll body enforces election laws and legal jurisprudence decided by the Supreme Court.
In a statement, Kontra Daya said that it has flagged at least 120 out of 177 party-list groups for being identified with political clans and big businesses, as well as for having incumbent local officials, connections with the government and military, unknown or unclear advocacies and representations; and pending court cases and criminal charges (including being implicated in pork barrel scams).
In the 2019 party-list elections, at least 62 out of 134 party-list groups were flagged which represent almost 50 percent. For this election cycle, the 120 party-list groups flagged out of 177 represent almost 70 percent.
As in the past election cycles, Kontra Daya said that its team of researchers analyzed the profiles of the 177 party-list groups, focusing on their declared advocacies, track record in public service and background of their party-list nominees.
"There are at least 44 party-list groups controlled by political clans and at least 21 have connections with big business. On the other hand, at least 34 were found to have unknown or unclear advocacies and representations; at least 32 have connections with the government or military; at least 26 have incumbent local officials running as party-list nominees; and at least 19 have pending court cases or criminal charges," it added.