Comelec expects party-list groups in 2010 to surpass 2007 figure

More than 100 party-list groups have so far sought accreditation from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to enable them to participate in the 2010 national elections, but the Comelec expects the number to rise to surpass the 153 party-list groups that ran in the 2007 midterm elections.

“We can expect it (the number of party-list groups) to even exceed the 2007 figure,” Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said, noting that party-list groups have until Aug. 17 or ten more days to file their petitions for accreditation.

In 2007, Comelec accredited only 93 out of 153 party-list groups that sought Comelec’s accreditation.

In the same breath, Sarmiento said the Comelec would no longer accredit party-list organizations that failed to obtain at least two percent of the votes cast under the party-list system in two previous elections, citing specific provisions of Republic Act 7941, or the Party-List System Act.

Section 6 of RA 7941 said that the Comelec may refuse or cancel, after due notice and hearing, the registration of any national, regional or sectoral party, organization or coalition if “it fails to participate in the last two preceding elections or fails to obtain at least two per centum (2%) of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two preceding elections for the constituency in which it has registered.”

“The law is very clear so we can’t do anything (in terms of accreditation) if they failed to get the required votes,” Sarmiento said in an interview.

But Sarmiento said if in case the party-list group was elected in 2004 national polls and subsequently lost in 2007 mid-term elections, or vice versa, it could still be accommodated and would not need to go through the lengthy process of accreditation.

“Under the calendar of activities of the commission all they have to do is to file a manifestation of intent to run and we will act on it,” Sarmiento said.

The poll official explained that only the new groups are covered by the filing of the accreditation.

So far there are over 100 “newly filed” petitions for accreditation under the party list system and Sarmiento said they they expected the number would further increase and surpass the 2007 figure of 153 party-list organizations.

Comelec chairman Jose Melo earlier said they would implement tougher and stricter rules in accrediting party list organization to ensure that only those representing the country’s marginalized sectors would be allowed to join in the May 10, 2010 elections.

It would be recalled that 15 party-list groups that participated in the May 2007 mid-term elections were linked to the Arroyo administration. Their participation in the electoral exercise, according to experts, were meant to strengthen President Arroyo’s control in Congress.

Only 34 party-list groups secured seats in Congress after the 2007 elections. They include, among others, the Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Akbayan, CIBAC, Buhay and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines. –Marie Surbano, Daily Tribune