Random listing of party-list groups ‘not confusing’

MANILA -- Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes hit back Tuesday at lawmakers’ statements against the body’s decision to raffle off order of party-list groups on ballots for the 2013 polls.

The move of the poll body was opposed by Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption party-list Representative Sherwin Tugna, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Neri Colmenares, and Kabataan party-list Representative Raymond Palatino, saying it will only confuse voters and consequently cause massive delays in the voting.

“Nobody is confused. The new resolution is precisely to avoid confusion. They may only be confused because they do not seem to see the benefit of this system,” Brillantes said in a phone interview.

He said the new system will be no different from the confusion being caused by party-list groups’ use of “As” and “1s” as initials in their names.

He said there are around 60 party-list groups whose names start with ‘A’ and ‘1’.

Based on Comelec Resolution 9467, the poll body has decided to use the raffle system in determining the order of listing of party-list groups on official ballots for the May 2013 elections.

Brillantes said anybody has the right to bring the matter before the Supreme Court.

“We came out with the resolution, and now, anybody can just question it before the Supreme Court,” he said. (HDT/Sunnex)