Comelec DQs party list group for regional misrepresentation
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has canceled the registration of Pilipinas Babangon Muli (PBBM) as a party list group for misrepresentation, making it ineligible to participate in the May 12 elections.
In its 10-page ruling released on Wednesday, the Comelec Second Division granted the petition of lawyer Jess Christian Ramirez to disqualify PBBM, saying it claims to represent the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces) region although none of its 10 nominees are from the area.
Ramirez said this was a violation of Republic Act No. 7941 or the Party-list System Act, as well as Comelec Resolution No. 9366.
Based on the certificates of nomination and acceptance submitted by the group, eight of its nominees are from Abra province which is under the Cordillera Administrative Region, while the remaining two are from Cagayan Valley and the National Capital Region, respectively.
The 10 nominees are Ma. Cecilia Badajos (Abra), Thomas Dominic Baluga (Cagayan), Karen Acosta (Abra), Elena Badajos (Abra), Iana Alexis Garcia (Quezon City), Francis Carl Acosta (Abra), Jerald Dao (Abra), Alejandro Badajos (Abra), Henrietta Francesca Acosta (Abra) and Marc Dan Acosta (Abra).
Not bona fide members
“Accordingly, all 10 nominees cannot be considered bona fide members of a regional political party purporting to represent Calabarzon. In turn, they cannot be qualified as nominees of PBBM,” the Second Division said.
“This results in the absence of even a single qualified nominee as required by law. Accordingly, respondent is disqualified from participating in the party list elections for failure to field at least one qualified nominee,” it added.
The ruling can still be appealed before Comelec en banc until it reaches the Supreme Court.
The party list group was established in January 2022, months before the presidential elections. It took its name from the campaign slogan, “Sama-sama tayong babangon muli (Together, we’ll rise again),” of then former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as well as his initials, BBM, which stand for Bongbong Marcos.
