Comelec swamped with disqualification cases, electoral protests

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has been swamped with disqualification cases and other electoral protests a few days after the country held its first automated elections.

The most prominent among the disqualification petitions lodged was against President Arroyo’s eldest son and outgoing Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo.

In a 19-page petition, party-list group Bayan Muna asked the Comelec to reconsider a previous ruling junking two disqualification cases filed against the younger Arroyo, who is seeking a seat as party-list nominee of Ang Galing Pinoy (AGP), a group representing security guards.

‘Ruling contradicts law’

Bayan Muna said the Comelec’s second division ruling contradicted the party-list law as well as the Comelec resolution to weed out unqualified party-list nominees.

“To allow Arroyo to run is contrary to law which provides that party-list is only for the underrepresented. Thus his participation would corrupt the party-list system,” Bayan Muna said.

Arroyo qualified

Earlier, the Comelec second division ruled that Arroyo “is qualified to be AGP’s nominee since he belongs to the said organization.”

The Comelec said Arroyo became a member of the AGP on Nov. 20, 2009 and since then has “actively participated in its undertakings and adhered to its advocacies” such as the AGP National Convention; Butil Palay para sa Kaunlaran Project; annual Christmas party; Lubao Delta Riders Uniforms and Mike Delta Force Uniforms.

Death knell

However, Bayan Muna insisted that allowing Arroyo to run would serve as a “death knell” to the party-list system.

The group then called on the poll body to reconsider a previous ruling and to suspend Arroyo’s proclamation if his party wins the elections.

Aside from the Bayan Muna petition, a number of disqualification cases and petitions for suspension of proclamation and declaration of failure of elections are now piling up in the Comelec.

A Comelec employee said disqualification complaints and other electoral protests started to swamp the poll body a day after the May 10 automated elections.

“Even on election day, we have received complaints for disqualification of certain local candidates,” the employee said.

Most of the complaints came from losing candidates in local elections.

The Comelec, on the other hand, was also asked to declare failure of elections in several municipalities in Abra, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao. –Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)