Comelec suspends proclamation of 2 party-lists

Comelec Chairman George Garcia —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

[Updated May 19, 2025, 3 p.m.] 

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) suspended the proclamation of two party-lists, its Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Monday.

Garcia said the National Board of Canvassers would later name the two party-lists in the proclamation at the Manila Hotel Tent City.

“We have two party-lists who will not be proclaimed, the National Board of Canvassers suspended their proclamation because of their pending cases,” Garcia said in a press conference.

He also said one of the party-lists whose proclamation was suspended won three seats.

READ: 53 party list winners proclaimed today

Of all party-lists, only Akbayan, Duterte Youth, and Tingog got three seats in the 20th Congress.

Garcia said one of the party-lists had a pending case since 2019.

Of these party-list groups, only Duterte Youth fits the clues, as it won three seats in the midterm polls and has a pending case since September 3, 2019.

READ: Act on petition to cancel Duterte Youth party-list registration, Comelec told

In March, Kabataan Tayo ang Pag-asa filed an urgent motion for Comelec to resolve the petition to cancel the party-list registration and/or declare the nullity of the Duterte Youth’s registration.

Petitioners said the Duterte Youth made untruthful statements regarding the ages of their nominees which they say would void its registration.

For its part, Duterte Youth party-list said they will challenge Comelec’s decision before the Supreme Court.

“This is definitely a grave abuse of discretion just to hold back the choice of millions of Filipinos,” the party-list said in a statement.

The party-list questioned Comelec’s decision to suspend the proclamation since they noted that it already allowed the party-list to assume a seat in previous congresses in 2019 and 2022.

Of the allegation that the party-list registration should be voided, the party-list said: “That is not possible.”

“Comelec will not allow a non-registered entity to join in the elections. The Supreme Court even ruled on it when the same petitioners raised it the Supreme Court, the SC dismissed them in 2020,” the group said.

One of Duterte Youth’s nominees at that time was former National Youth Commission chairman Ronald Cardema, whom the Comelec had disqualified. 

The party-list law sets an age requirement for youth representatives at the maximum age of 30 years on the day of the election. Cardema was already 34 by the time the 2019 polls took place./mcm / MR