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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Kabataan hits Cardema: 'Why didn't you expose 'Comelec corruption' earlier, if you knew about it?'

Kabataan hits Cardema: 'Why didn't you expose 'Comelec corruption' earlier, if you knew about it?'

Published May 21, 2025 05:48 pm

At A Glance

  • Duterte Youth Party-list Chairman Ronald Cardema's threat against the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reveal alleged corrupt practices within the poll body seems to have backfired.
​Duterte Youth Party-list Chairman Ronald Cardema's threat against the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reveal alleged corrupt practices within the poll body seems to have backfired.
Outgoing Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel said that if Cardema really had knowledge about alleged "kalokohan" or shenanigans--including corruption--within Comelec, then why did he not reveal it earlier?
"Self-serving. Kung may alam pala sila tungkol sa korapsyon, bakit di nila isiniwalat dati pa? (They're self-serving. If they really know something about corruption, then why didn't they expose it before?)" Manuel said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Cardema on Tuesday, May 21, declared that he would expose misconduct and corrupt practices within the poll body if it would not allow the party to assume its seat following the Comelec en banc's decision to suspend Duterte Youth's proclamation after its victory in the 2025 party-list race.
Manuel also criticized the party-list's capacity "to set aside corruption, which kills the future of the Filipino youth, for the sake of maintaining a position".
"Niloloko nila kahit ang mga Duterte supporter sa pekeng mga adbokasiya nila (They're fooling even the Duterte supporters)," he said.
“Nilantad natin ang iskandalo ng confidential funds ni Sara, Maharlika Investment scam ni Marcos, at iba-iba pang anyo ng pork, nang walang hinihinging kapalit, dahil ang loyalty natin ay sa taumbayan hindi sa sinumang politiko. Ito ang pagiging tunay na makabayan. Ito dapat ang ipakitaa nating example sa kabataan (We exposed the corruption surrounding the confidential funds, the Maharlika Investment scam, and other kinds of pork barrel, without asking for anything in return, because our loyalty is to the people and not to any politician. This is the example that we should show our youth),” he added.
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