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Comelec chair, analyst back review of party-list system

Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia speaks on the accusations against him in a press conference in Manila on August 8, 2024. Garcia has been accused of accepting illegal funds through offshore accounts. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

COMELEC-GARCIA

Willard Cheng

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Commission on Elections conducted a raffle to determine the order of 156 party-list groups and organizations in the official ballot for 2025 elections.The raffle was conducted by computer and was presided over by the Comelec en banc.In his message, Comelec chairman George Garcia urged the party-list groups to police their ranks and ensure their nominees are qualified, that their campaign is orderly and respectful of the environment, and that they follow campaign rules and election resolutions.Garcia is in favor of reviewing and coming up with a new law to address issues like the qualifications of nominees, allocation of seats, and reflect the Supreme Court decisions on the matter.“Maganda po talaga complete overhaul, revision upang ma-reflect natin ang mga desisyon ng Korte Suprema, upang yung mga concern ng iba lalo na issue ng marginalized, underrepresented, proportionality, ma-reflect din,” Garcia told reporters.“Kasama na mga nominees din, qualification ng nominees, paano kami magtatanggal, mag disaccredit ng nominees, lahat ng yan dapat maisama natin lalo na kung paano kino kompute mismo ang representation doon sa Kongreso,” he added.De La Salle University Political Science and International Studies professor Dr. Julio Teehankee supports strengthening the party list system rather than abolishing it despite the flaws.He pointed out the interpretation of the vision for the party-list system as stated in the Constitution has been muddled as a result of the party-list law and succeeding SC decisions, opening up the system for members of political dynasties and celebrities to vie for party-list seats.“Dahil nagkalabo labo na ang interpretasyon, nagkaroon ngayon ng puwang na ang dating dapat magrerepresent sa mga marginalized at mahihirap ay na-capture ng mga iba’t ibang interes at kasama na dyan, makikita natin, karamihan sa mga party list ngayon, ay puro mga miyembro ng political dynasty tapos karamihan din ng sikat, or celebrities tumatakbo dahil mas madaling makakuha ng boto sa mga sikat at mga miyembro ng political dynasty, isang upuan na kaagad sa Kongreso. E magkano ba ang budget ng isang congressman? Kasama na dyan ang lahat ayuda na pwede nilang ipamigay,” Teehankee said.“Ang remedyo dyan ay repasuhin at baguhin ang batas kasi hindi naman sa Konstitusyon ang problema. Malinaw ang Konstitusyon, sa spirit ng party list system. Sabi ng iba tanggalin, hindi. Dapat pag isipan ng mambabatas, paano ireporma ang batas, amyendahan or totally palitan upang kumbaga maging totally aligned siya sa best practices sa ibang party list system sa ibang bansa.”Teehankee hopes for more reform oriented party list groups to win seats in Congress and introduce change as well from within.“Tignan natin kung magtagumpay sila hudyat ito na pwede pa rin baguhin from within and hopefully we elect enough reform minded legislators who will take the way we elect our representatives seriously,” Teehankee said.Meanwhile, Garcia said no re-raffle will be made and that groups that would later petition and win a temporary restraining order from the court so it could participate in the polls may be put at the end of the list.“Pupwede namin gawin yung mismong makakahuha ng TRO, kung sakaling may makakuha TRO ilalagay namin sa kahulihan yung mga pangalan po nila. Kung meron naman partido o sectoral organizations na bigla na lang ayaw mag participate dahil hindi sila handa o kung anong kadahilanan, pwede namin tanggalin lang ang numero na yun, mabubungi lang ang numero at hindi lang makakasama ang party list organization na yan,” Garcia said.Cases involving party-list groups with competing sets of nominees will be resolved later while the name of the party list group would already have been placed in the ballot.“Usually ang ginagawa natin hindi muna natin pino-proclaim ang grupo na may ganyang problema,” he said.

The Commission on Elections conducted a raffle to determine the order of 156 party list groups and organizations in the official ballot for 2025 elections.

The Commission on Elections conducted a raffle to determine the order of 156 party list groups and organizations in the official ballot for 2025 elections.