Comelec to issue show cause order to Duterte Youth’s 1st nominee

Commission on Elections chair George Garcia. INQUIRER.net / NOY MORCOSO

MANILA, Philippines — The first nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list will receive a show cause order seeking an explanation for her alleged use of a different surname, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In an interview with reporters on Thursday, Comelec chair George Garcia said the poll body’s law department is now processing the matter.

READ: Garcia feels for Duterte Youth over proclamation woes

“For everyone’s information, our Law Department has already taken action in the investigation, and at any moment from now, the number one nominee of Duterte Youth could receive a so-called show cause order because of the accusation, the allegation of using a different family name,” Garcia explained in Filipino.

“At least the first nominee can answer the allegations this way. It’s also very unfair to her that she’s being accused of something, just on social media. There needs to be a way for their number one nominee to explain herself,” he added.

An online post last month claimed that Duterte Youth’s first nominee, Drixie Suarez Cardema, is reportedly known by her peers as just “Drixie Suarez.”

Duterte Youth is the second party-list with the highest number of votes at 2,338,564, entitling it to three House seats.

But petitioners earlier alleged that Duterte Youth made untruthful statements regarding the ages of their nominees, which they say would void its registration./mr