Comelec to resolve Duterte Youth disqualification cases before June 30
Credit to Author: Dominique Nicole Flores| Date: Tue, 20 May 2025 15:57:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it is only just to resolve the six-year-old disqualification petition against the Duterte Youth before the 20th Congress convenes on June 30.
Duterte Youth, a party-list formed to support former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, is facing two disqualification petitions: one filed in 2019 over its registration status, which resurfaced in March, and another filed on May 8 over alleged red-tagging.
Comelec Chairperson George Garcia clarified on Tuesday, May 20, that delaying the party-list’s proclamation does not mean immediate disqualification.
“Ang sinasabi lang ng komisyon, ‘Teka muna, pag-aralan lang namin 'yung kasong naka pending after several years simula nung 2019,’” he said at an interview with DZBB 594.
(What the commission is saying is, “Hold on, let us just study the case that has been pending for several years since 2019.”)
He explained the current leadership was also unaware that the case had dragged on for years, which is why it's important to resolve it now and prevent it from affecting the party-list in future elections.
“Ito talaga dapat maresolve na kasi syempre 'yung bagong liderato natin hindi namin alam ‘yung kasong ‘yun na matagal na,” Garcia said. “So, at least pagkakataon na ito na i-resolve sapagkat darating ang panahon they will always be haunted ng kasong ito.”
(This really needs to be resolved because, of course, with the new leadership, we weren’t aware that the case had been pending for so long. So, at least this is the opportunity to resolve it, because in time, they will always be haunted by this case.)
He said the Comelec is committed to reviewing the case, which includes allegations of grave violation of election laws, and resolving it before elected candidates and party-lists take their oath on June 30.
But for the Duterte Youth, this timeline was unacceptable.
Chaired by former National Youth Commissioner Ronald Cardema, whose actions prompted the 2019 petition, the party-list plans to challenge the delayed proclamation before the Supreme Court.
To recall, Cardema tried to serve as the party-list’s first nominee just after the original five nominees withdrew post-election, where they won. However, the Comelec disqualified him for exceeding the age limit of 25 to 30 years required to represent the youth.
RELATED: Among top-voted party-lists, Duterte Youth not yet proclaimed
In a radio interview with True FM on Tuesday, Cardema warned the Comelec that if the group is not proclaimed by next week, they will expose how the poll body allegedly “sells” its decisions, accreditations and projects.
He also said he would expose how House members steal from public funds.
“Pag kami hindi niyo pinaupo next week… sasabihin namin ‘yang di sinasabi ng mga kongresista at dating kongresista kung paano nangungurakot ang mga tao sa gobyerno. Wala kaming pakealam kahit mamatay kami,” he added.
(If you don’t let us assume our post next week… we’ll reveal what current and former congressmen won’t say, how people in government are stealing public funds. We don’t care even if it costs us our lives.)
Garcia said it is only natural for a party-list facing disqualification complaints to challenge them in the Supreme Court, particularly if they feel their dignity has been violated or the Comelec has abused its powers.
The party-list's threats, however, raise the question of why they did not expose the alleged corruption earlier if they truly have evidence of it and claim to oppose such practices.
Comelec only proclaimed 52 of the 54 winning party-lists on Monday, May 19, at The Manila Hotel. They will be occupying 59 of the 63 available seats for party-list representatives in the 20th Congress.
See how the poll body allocated the seats here.