The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division, voting 2-1, granted the petition seeking to cancel the registration of the Duterte Youth Party-list, which ranked second in the May 2025 polls.

In the resolution dated June 18, 2025, petitioners Reeya Beatrice Magtalas, Abigal Aleli tan, Raainah Punzalan, and Aunell Ross Angco, prayed for the cancellation of the registration of Duterte Youth. They argued that Duterte Youth failed to comply with the requirements of publication and hearing, which are both jurisdictional in character.

Aside from this, they also claimed that the Duterte Youth committed grounds for the cancellation of its registration.

According to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, the party-list can still file a motion for reconsideration before the Comelec en banc.

Asked on what how will this affect their election win, Garcia said: Sa kasalukuyan wala pa rin po sapagkat una, ang desisyon ng Comelec Division ay magiging final lang at executory limang araw pagkalabas nitong desisyon maliban na lang kung mayroong motion for reconsideration (At present, there is still none because, first, the decision of the Comelec Division will only become final and executory five days after its release—unless a motion for reconsideration is filed).

Ibig sabihin kung may limang araw to file the motion for reconsideration, ibigay natin sa kanila yung limang araw (That means if there are five days to file the motion for reconsideration, then we should give them those five days), he added.

He also stated that there's still no answer whether they can assume in the 20th Congress.

On March 25, 2025 filed an urgent motion to resolve their petition to cancel the party-list registration and/or declare the nullity of its registration. They emphasized that the immediate and early resolution of the case is a matter of transcendental importance given that the matter will be a precedent with regard to procedure in party-list registration.

In its ruling, the Second Division said that having no prescriptive period in the cancellation of registration allows the Commission to monitor and enforce the ongoing compliance of each organization. It added that this prevents the misuse and abuse of the very system which allowed only those qualified and genuine sectors to benefit from the party-list representation.

It addresses all violations, no matter when discovered, in the interest of justice equity, and democratic representation, it explained.

Thus, interpret that the instant Petition is moot simply because the party-list was allowed to participate in the party-list system of elections, and was among the winning party-lists proclaimed by the Comission En Banc sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, would be to subvert the very intention of the law, it added.

When it comes to the requirements, the Second Division said that groups, organizations or even coalitions seeking public office and representation bear the burden of knowing and adhering to the laws that govern them.

Thus, when Duterte Youth applied for registration, it behooves the party-list to know the statutory conditions, most particularly, the jurisdictional and constitutional requirements, it said.

Inasmuch as Duterte Youth failed to prove compliance with the jurisdictional requirements of publication and hearing, its registration as a party-list is void, it added.

Lastly, the Second Division said that it is the duty of the Commission to respond when the technicalities of election laws are being exploited and used as tools for manipulation.