PARTY-LIST PURGE. Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr leads the poll body in an unprecedented purge of party-list groups. Photo by Paterno Esmaquel II

MANILA, Philippines (4th UPDATE) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will allow 79 groups to run in the 2013 party-list race, Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr said Thursday, November 29.

Those allowed by the Comelec to run include the following controversial groups: Gabriela, Anakpawis, Buhay, and An Waray. The poll body also allowed the gay rights group Ang Ladlad to run in 2013.

"We cannot have any perfect listing. We attempted the best that we can. We have reduced the party list to 79," Brillantes said in an interview with reporters.

Brillantes, a veteran election lawyer before he joined the Comelec, said the commission could have done better.

“I am not satisfied. If you're going to ask me, ako mismo, gusto ko na sanang in-abolish na lahat 'yan para wala nang eleksyon sa party list. Para magbago na tayo, at mag-umpisa na naman tayo ng panibagong batas na maganda,” he said. (I am not satisfied. If you're going to ask me, I want to abolish all of them so we wouldn't have party-list elections. So we can change, and start a new and better law.)

He also explained that the Comelec acted collegially in resolving these cases, with commissioners voting individually. He said there was inconsistency among them, echoing a previous statement that their deliberations on party-list groups tend to be arbitrary. (Watch more in the video below.)

The approved party-list groups comprise less than a third, or 27%, of the original 289 applicants for 2013. Of the 289 applicants, 124 had an existing Comelec accreditation while 165 were new applicants.

If the Comelec will accredit more groups, it will not exceed 5, Brillantes said.

This is the lowest number of party-list groups that Comelec allowed to run, at least in the past 6 years.

Records show that the Comelec allowed 187 party-list groups to run in 2010, the last national elections held in the Philippines. In 2010, Comelec had to allow 187 groups on the ballot because the disqualification process was not yet finished during ballot printing.

In the elections before this, held in 2007, the Comelec accredited 153 groups.

Green light

In a unanimous vote, the Comelec retained the accreditation of the following groups for 2013:

    ATM - Abante Tribung Makabansa
    Act Teachers - Act Teachers Party-List
    A Teacher - Advocacy for Teacher Empowerment Through Action, Cooperation, and Harmony Towards Educational Reforms
    Agila - Agila ng Katutubong Pilipino Inc
    Alagad
    AFPSEGCO - Alliance for Philippine Security Guards Cooperative
    Ave - Alliance of Volunteer Educators Party-List
    Allumad - Alyansa Lumad Mindanao Inc
    Agham - Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Mamamayan Inc
    Amin - Anak Mindanao Party-List
    Anakpawis
    Ang Ladlad
    Angkla - Ang Partido ng mga Pilipinong Marino Inc
    Gabriela - Gabriela Women's Party
    KLBP - Kababaihang Lingkod Bayan sa Pilipinas
    Kabataan Party-List
    Kaakbay - Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan All Filipino Democratic Movement
    Katribu - Katribu Indigenous Peoples Sectoral Party
    1-Sagip - Social Amelioration and Genuine Intervention on Poverty
    TUCP - Trade Union Congress Party

With dissenting commissioners, the Comelec retained the accreditation of the following party-list groups:

    1BAP - 1 Banat and Ahapo Party-List Coalition
    Abakada - Abakada-Guro
    Abante Ka - Abante Katutubo Inc
    Abamin - Abante Mindanao
    Abono Party-List
    Adam - Adhikain ng mga Dakilang Anak Maharlika
    Ating Koop - Adhikaing Tinataguyod ng Kooperatiba
    Agbiag - Agbiag Timpuyog Ilocano Inc
    Ada - Agrarian Development Association
    Agap - Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines
    Akapbata Inc - Akapbata Sectoral Organization for Children Inc
    Akbayan - Akbayan Citizens' Action Party
    Ako - Ako Ayoko sa Bawal na Droga
    Alay Buhay - Alay Buhay Community Development Foundation Inc
    AMS - Alyansa ng Media at Showbiz
    Alyansa ng OFW Party
    Aba - Alyansang Bayanihan ng mga Magsasaka, Manggagawang Bukid, at Mangingisda
    An Waray
    Aambis-Owa - Ang Asosasyon Sang Mangunguma Nga Bisaya-Owa Mangunguma Inc
    Alif - Ang Laban ng Indiginong Filipino
    Ama - Ang Mata'y Alagaan
    Ang NCIP - Ang National Coalition of Indigenous Peoples Action Na
    ABS - Arts Business and Science Professionals
    Ale - Association of Laborers and Employees
    BH - Bagong Henerasyon
    Bayan Muna
    Buhay - Buhay Hayaan Yumabong
    Cibac - Citizens' Battle Against Corruption
    Coop Natcco - Cooperative Natcco Network Party
    Diwa - Democratic Independent Workers' Association Inc
    Kalinga
    Ang Kasangga - Kasangga sa Kaunlaran Inc
    AA Kasosyo - Kasosyo Producer
    LPGMA - LPG Marketers Association Inc
    PBA - Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta
    1 Ang Pamilya - Una ang Pamilya Party-List
    VFP - Veterans Freedom Party
    Yacap - You Against Corruption and Poverty

New applicants

The Comelec also accredited 21 new applicants.

Unanimously, the Comelec accredited the following new applicants:

    AMA - Aagapay sa Matatanda
    Ang Nars
    Aasenso - Ating Agapay Sentrong Samahan ng mga Obrero Inc
    PWD - Pilipinos with Disabilities
    Piston - Piston Land Transport Coalition Inc

The poll body also allowed the following new applicants to run, but with dissenting commissioners:

    1JAMG - 1 Joint Alliance of Marginalized Group Inc
    1-AAMOVER - A Action Moral & Values Recovery Reform Philippines Inc
    Abante Retirees - Abante Retirees Party-List Organization
    Ading - Advance Community Development in New Generation
    Ang Prolife
    ACT-CIS - Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support Inc
    Append Inc
    Amor Seaman - Association of Marine Officer and Ratings Inc
    1-Aalalay - Isang Alyansang Aalalay sa Pinoy
    1-Lambat - Isang Lapian ng Mangingisda at Bayan Tungo sa Kaunlaran
    1-Pabahay - Isang Pangarap ng Bahay sa Bagong Buhay ng Maralitang Kababayan Inc
    Magdalo - Magdalo para sa Pilipino
    MTM Phils - Mamamayan Tungo sa Maunlad na Pilipinas
    Migrante - Migrante Sectoral Party of Overseas Filipinos and their Families
    OFW Family Club Inc
    Umalab Ka - Ugnayan ng Maralita Laban sa Kahirapan

The Comelec, meanwhile, cancelled the accreditation of the following groups:

    1-Utak
    1st Kabagis
    Senior Citizen Party

It also denied the new application of the group Alona.

This is unprecedented for the Comelec, said Brillantes, with the poll body disqualifying incumbent party-list groups for the first time. In an earlier interview, he said the Comelec did this purge because “the party-list system has gone out of bounds.” (Watch more in the video below.)

“Mabuti siguro, we better send a message already, na hindi naman biruan itong party-list. Sige, mag-apply kayo. Okay lang sa amin. Tatanggapin namin ang P10,000 filing fee n'yo, pero hindi kayo nakakasiguro. Malamang hindi kayo ma-accredit,” Brillantes said.

(It might be good to send a message already, that this party-list system is not a joke. Okay, apply. It's okay on our part. We will accept your P10,000 filing fee, but you cannot be certain. You won't likely get accredited.) – Rappler.com

Source: http://www.rappler.com/nation/16978-comelec-approves-79-party-list-groups