27 party-list groups proclaimed

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed on Monday 27 party-list groups, whose nominees will occupy 35 of 57 seats available for marginalized sectors in the House of Representatives.

The 27 party-list groups and their respective number of seats are: Coalition of Association of Senior Citizens in the Philippines – 1,292,182 votes (2 seats); Akbayan Citizen's Action Party – 1,058,691 votes (2 seats); Gabriela Women's Party – 1,001,421 votes (2 seats); Cooperative Natcco Network Party – 943,529 votes (2 seats); ABONO – 766,615 votes (2 seats); Bayan Muna – 746,019 votes (2 seats); An Waray – 711,631 votes (2 seats); Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines, Inc. (AGAP) – 515,501 votes (1 seat); Alliance for Barangay Concerns Party (ABC) – 469,093 votes (1 seat); Anakpawis – 445,628 votes (1 seat); Kabataan Party-list – 417,923 votes (1 seat); Abante Mindanao, Inc. (ABANAMIN) – 376,011 votes (1 seat); Act Teachers – 369,564 votes (1 seat); You Against Corruption and Poverty (YACAP) – 335,635 votes (1 seat); Ang Kasangga sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (Ang Kasangga) – 296,368 votes (1 seat); Bagong Henerasyon (BH) – 292,875 votes (1 seat); Agbiag! Timpuyog Ilocano, Inc. (AGBIAG) – 262,298 votes (1 seat); Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) – 238,675 votes (1 seat); Arts Business and Science Professionals – 257,301 votes (1 seat); Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) – 244,623 votes (1 seat); Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya Para sa Mamayan, Inc. (AGHAM) – 241,898 votes (1 seat), Democratic Independent Workers Association (DIWA) – 238,675 (1 seat); Kapatiran ng mga Nakulong na Walang Sala – 234,717 votes (1 seat); Kalinga Advocacy for Social Empowerment and Nation Building Through Easing Poverty, Inc. (Kalinga) – 229,198 votes (1 seat); Alagad Party-list – 227,116 votes (1 seat); 1 Ang Pamilya – 217,032 votes (1 seat); and the Alliance of Volunteer Educators – 214,760 (1 seat).

The Comelec, however, decided to defer the proclamation of 12 organizations because of pending disqualification cases against them. 

These groups are Ako Bicol Political Party; Ang Galing Pinoy; Buhay Hayaan Yumabong Party-list; 1st Consumers Alliance for Rural Energy (1-CARE); Citizens' Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC); LPG Marketers Association, Inc. (LPGMA); Ang Asosayon Sang Manguguma Nga Bisaya-Ow Mangunguma, Inc. (MBIS-OWA); Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC); Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD); 1-UTAK; Advocacy for Teacher Empowerment Through Action Cooperation and Harmony Towards Educational Reforms (A Teacher); and Butil Farmer Party (BUTIL).

A total of 187 party-list groups ran in the 2010 elections.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said proclaimed party-list groups may still be disqualified if proven to have overspent in the May 10 polls.

Comelec Chairman Jose Melo said that party-list groups found to have overspent risk the possibility of being stopped from assuming their posts even if they won in the recently concluded elections.

Comelec Resolution 8944 said that candidates, aside from the president and vice president, can only spend P3 for every registered voter.

Republic Act 7166 also states that campaign overspending constitutes an election offense which carries a penalty of one to six years imprisonment and removal of right of suffrage or the rights to vote and be voted.

Earlier, the group Pera’t Pulitika (PAP) reported the “exorbitant” spending of party-list groups saying it runs counter to their claim of representing marginalized sectors.

The decision of the Comelec is quite unfair for party-lists who have won congressional seats. Complaints must not be entertained after the elections. I’ve read a similar article today; another party-list filed a complaint against AKB Political Party for they said that AKB doesn’t represent any marginalized group. AKB top notched the party-lists elections with an overwhelming 1.5 million of votes. Based on my analysis the leftists groups who filed the said complaints were swamped by the results they weren’t expecting that such political party novice will win, win big I mean. If they have their objections they must have filed it before the elections and not after. If they will appeal for the group’s disqualification they must be ready to face the millions of voters who have voted AKB.