What’s in a party-list representation

INSIDE CONGRESS

By Charlie V. Manalo

The party-list or sectoral representation seems by far, as the one of the greatest innovation in Philippine politics as it gives the marginalized sectors the chance to be represented and be heard of in Congress.

And by a merely acquiring the number of votes to gain entry to the top 58 party-list candidates, a particular sector is assured of at least a seat in the Lower House. No wonder it has become the most abused process with even those from the elite slugging it out with the genuine marginalized sector.

What’s interesting though with these party-list groups, is the fact some of their very own members do not seem to have even the slightest tinge of respect for their own group or the sector they are supposed to represent.

Take the case of the party-list group Abakada-Guro, the first nominee of which is fellow Tribune columnist, former Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz, having won in the 2007 elections as the group’s representative.

In February 2010, Abakada-Guro held its first general assembly, again electing then congressman Jonathan as the group’s first nominee. However, a certain Samson Alcantara, a member of the group, immediately lodged a protest against Jonathan before the Comelec, asking the poll body to disqualify Jonathan and the rest of the group’s nominees and instead recognize their own set of nominees.

However, the Second Division of the Comelec upheld the decision of the general assembly of Abakada-Guro regarding the nomination of Jonathan and his group.

Because of the acts of Alcantara and his renegade group, Abakada-Guro was forced to expel them from the group.

However, as the 2013 elections draws near, Alcantara and his group again filed their own set of nominees in behalf of Abakada-Guro and asking the nominees of Jonathan’s group be disqualified, which the later, naturally, has to opposed.

But what is puzzling is that after the three hearings set by the Comelec en banc to resolve the intra-party issue within Abakada, Alcantara’s group has yet to present itself. Three hearings already and yet a no-show? Obviously, this group is merely trying to sabotage the chances of Abakada-Guro to get at least a seat in Congress and represent a legitimate marginalized sector.

And then, there’s the case of the Cibac party-list. A group within Cibac led by a certain Luis Lokin, is claiming they are the governing authority within the group, which is now represented in Congress by Reps. Sherwin Tigna and Cinchona Cruz.

As Lokin claims his SEC-registered entity is the governing body of Cibac, his group filed a separate Manifestation of Intent to Participate in the 2010 party-list elections, signed by a certain Pia Derla, who claims to be Cibac’s secretary general, aside from the one filed by Cibac party-list chairman and president Emmanuel Joel Villanueva. And in pursuant to the authority granted by the National Council, Villanueva also filed the corresponding filed the Certificate of Nomination in behalf of Cibac.

After being heard in the Comelec, the poll body’s First Division on July 5, 2010, ruled that the Certificate of Nomination filed by Villanueva is the one validly filed under the authority of Cibac. The other group failed to substantiate its claim that the Certificate of Nomination it filed was done under a valid authority. The decision of the First Division was upheld by the Comelc sitting en banc in a Resolution dated Aug. 31, 2010.

Lokin then filed a Petition for Certiorari before the Supreme Court. But on June 26, 2012, the SC en banc unanimously upheld the Comelec’s resolutions and denied Lokin’s petition.

But apparently, Lokin did not accept the decision of the Comelec nor of the high court, thus for the 2013 elections, he again filed his own set of nominees and asking the poll body to disqualify Villanueva’s group.

In the hearing last Monday before the Comelec en banc, Lokin presented Derla as his group’s witness. However, in the course of the hearing, it was clearly established that Derla, who was presented by Lokin’s group as Cibac’s secretary general did not have an iota of knowledge of the group’s internal matters. Derla failed to provide satisfactory answers to seemingly simple questions such as the identification of the members of the board, the sector they represent, the date of registration of their organization with the Securities and Exchange Commission; questions which the commissioners felt were basic functions of an organization’s secretary general as guardian and custodian of its files and documents. As such, Lokin’s contention was literally shattered to smithereens.

I cannot blame Rep. Sherwin for describing Lokin’s acts as mere harassment. The situation has not changed. Much like in national politics, if one loses, he lodges a protest before the Comelec. If the Comelec denies his protest, he goes to the SC. And so it goes on and on.

What’s wrong with these people? They want to represent a marginalized sector and yet they cannot even respect the decision of their own group. So how much more could they expect to earn the respect of the sector which they would want to represent? They must be made to remember though that for these marginalized sectors, their representation in Congress is so sacred, they should better think twice before toying with it.