WITH one commissioner dissenting and one abstention, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) approved the petition of former National Youth Commission chairperson Ronald Cardema to be named as Duterte Youth party-list substitute first nominee.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez made the announcement in a Twitter post on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, on the same day that a copy of the resolution was released.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon dissented while Commissioner Luie Tito Guia abstained "to be consistent with my earlier vote to deny the accreditation."
The Duterte Youth party-list won a single seat at the House of Representatives in the May 13, 2019 midterm elections. It is not certain yet that Cardema would sit as representative, Jimenez said, citing Guanzon.
"(Only) his application for substitution was given due course. His substitution is not yet granted because there is a pending petition or opposition on the ground that he is over 30 years old and cannot be a representative of a youth sector party-list," Jimenez quoted Guanzon as saying.
The Comelec en banc, in a resolution based on its May 14, 2019 session, said the reasons cited by the original nominees for their withdrawal were in compliance with Section 8 of the Party-list System Act or Republic Act 7941, and Sections 4 and 5, Rule 4 of Resolution No. 9366.
The withdrawal of Ducielle Marie Suarez, Joseph De Guzman, Benilda De Guzman, Arnaldo Villafranca and Elizabeth Anne Cardema was granted.
Named as substitutes are Ronald Gian Carlo Cardema, Gian Carlo Galang, Catherine Santos, Kerwin Pagaran and Sharah Shane Makabali.
Based on the resolution, Suarez withdrew her nomination because she could "no longer fulfill the expectations set forth by the party nor able to fulfill her obligations."
Joseph De Guzman said he will support the part "away from public opinion" while Benilda prefers teaching. Villafranca and Elizabeth Cardema opted to be with family.
The petition for substitution of Allan Kevin Payawal as sixth nominee was rejected because there were only five original nominees. (MVI/SunStar Philippines)