The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday delisted two more existing party-list groups and denied the application for accreditation of eight new organizations.

The Comelec made the announcement as the Supreme Court (SC) stopped the Comelec from implementing its decision disqualifying four party-list groups. The High Court on Tuesday issued a status quo ante order in favor of four party-list groups also kicked out by the poll body.

The latest to get the Comelec boot were the Abot Tanaw party-list of former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation Chairman Efraim Genuino and Action Brotherhood for Active Dreamers Inc.
(Abroad). The groups whose application for accreditation were denied are the Hukbong Querubin Humanitarian Team of Jose Martin Loon, step son of Colonel Ariel Querubin of the Philippine Marines, Guardian; Ikaw ang Laging Wagi Ng Bayan Inc. (ILAW); Samahang Ilocanong Magsasaka; Angat Ahon Magsasaka; Guardians of Orphans and Disabled (GOOD); Una Edukasyon; and Courage Government Employees Party-list (Courage).

Courage slammed the Comelec’s decision.

“It perplexes us to no end how they can claim that government employees are not marginalized and therefore do not deserve to have a representative in Congress. Government employees otherwise known as the public sector is part of labor, the first sector among those enumerated in the Party-List law,” Courage National President and 1st Nominee, Ferdinand Gaite, said.

“The Comelec en banc seriously erred and has committed grave abuse of authority. We will bring the matter to the Supreme Court,” he added.

So far, the poll body had disqualified 47 party-list groups and rejected the petitions for accreditation of 32 organizations who wanted to participate in next year’s elections.

Brillantes said they allowed ANG NARS to run for the party-list election next year.

“All of their nominees are professionals and they are marginalized. Also, many of them are jobless while some still need to make sacrifices and go abroad,” he explained.

The poll body had also granted party-list accreditation to Pilipino with Disabilities (PWD).

Status quo
A day after it gave reprieve to four party-list groups, the SC yesterday issued a status quo ante order for four more groups who were also disqualified by the Comelec.

The high tribunal also stopped the poll body from enforcing its decisions barring the Aksyon Magsasaka-Partido Tinig ng Masa [AKMA-PTM], Kapatiran ng mga Nakulong na Walang Sala, Inc.

[Kakusa], Association for Righteousness Advocacy on Leadership [ARAL] and Alliance for Rural and Agrarian Reconstruction Inc. [Araro] from participating in next year’s election.

The SC however did not give due course to the petitions to consolidate the cases.
The tribunal ordered the Comelec to submit their comment on the petitions within a non-extendible period of 10 days.

Both parties were also directed “to observe the status quo prevailing before the issuance of the assailed Comelec resolutions dated October 10, 2012.”

The SC issued a similar ruling on Tuesday for Ako Bicol, Alliance of Rural Concerns, 1-CARE and Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC). The groups questioned the Comelec decision disqualifying them as party-list groups.

Akbayan
Meanwhile, Brillantes revealed that the commission en banc has decided on the disqualification case filed against Akbayan. But he refused to disclose the decision until a formal resolution has been signed.

“We just voted on it and I am not going to discuss the details. We already have a majority but I am not announcing our decision,” he told reporters.

Several groups sought Akbayan’s disqualification, saying the groups do not represent the marginalized sector. They claimed that Akbayan is a favored party-list by President Aquino 3rd because numerous members of the group are presidential appointees including Presidential Political Affairs Adviser Ronald Llamas, Commission on Human Rights Chairman Loretta Ann Rosales, and National Anti-Poverty Commission spokesman Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros-Baraquel.

Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/top-stories/35359-comelec-drops-10-more-groups