LPG party-list joins Congress

MANILA, Philippines - The LPG Marketers Association (LPGMA) party-list group will finally get a seat the 15th Congress after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) dismissed for lack of merit the disqualification case filed against the sectoral representative.

In a six-page resolution, the Comelec’s First Division approved the registration of LPGMA as a sectoral organization as well as the proclamation of its nominee.

The commission said complainants against LPGMA failed to present evidence that the organization did not complied with the requirements for sectoral groups participating in the 2010 elections.

Comelec officials said the commission also considered the fact that the complainants filed the complaint four months after the approval of LPGMA’s registration.

“The belated filing, to our mind, is an unfortunate attempt to circumvent the obviously final and executory nature of the resolution (on party-list groups),” the Comelec pointed out. 

A complaint was filed before the Comelec seeking the cancellation of LPGMA’s registration, claiming that the party-list group does not belong to nor can they represent the marginalized sector.

Complainants Antonio Dayao, Rolando Ramirez and Adelio Capco said that marketers and refillers have a 45 percent share of the national liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market and therefore cannot be considered as underrepresented.

In a dissenting opinion, Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento expressed the belief that LPGMA also does not qualify as a sectoral organization since its officers and nominees are big-time marketers.

“They are not struggling type of LPG dealers or sellers who have difficulty eking out a living, LPGMA does not deny having substantial interest in several corporations engaged in LPG marketing and refilling,” Sarmiento explained.

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said the complainants might still file a motion for reconsideration before the commission.

The Comelec could already proclaim and allow the LPGMA’s nominee to become a full-fledged member of the House of Representatives, unless a motion for reconsideration is filed before the poll body.

Larrazabal said the Comelec is also expected to resolve soon all the disqualification cases filed against 11 other party-list groups that won seats in the May 10 elections.

“All the cases are now pending with the commission,” Larrazabal said.