Mikey's party-list faces non-accreditation for 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Ang Galing Pinoy (AGP) party-list of Rep. Mikey Arroyo may no longer be accredited to run in the 2013 midterm polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said the AGP will likely lose its accreditation after failing to present evidence of their continuing compliance with the party-list system rules.

“No appearance (during hearings) and they are not

asking for re-setting. Most likely they will be removed from our list,” he said.

Brillantes noted that AGP is supposed to submit evidence that will support their intention to participate in next year’s elections.

He, however, clarified that the impending dismissal of AGP has nothing to do with the petition for disqualification filed against the group by poll watchdog Kontra Daya.

AGP was among the party-list organizations with existing accreditation that were scheduled yesterday to attend a hearing with the Comelec.

Arroyo is now on his third and last term at the House of Representatives. His first two terms were as district congressman of Pampanga.

For the 2013 polls, the AGP’s listed nominees are Charlie Chua, Eder Dizon, Jerold Dominick David, Ryan Caladiao, Alan Trinidad, and Bernardo Corella Jr.

Meanwhile, Brillantes said they are still uncertain how to deal with the reported millionaires among the incumbent party-list nominees.

He added the agency has not decided whether it should be the group or the nominees who should be considered marginalized.

“It’s complicated. We have yet to come up with a consensus although the rule says nominees must belong to the group that they represent,” Brillantes said.

Romblon Rep. Eleandro Madrona had earlier asked the Comelec not to allow millionaires to sit as party-list nominees because this deprives marginalized and under-represented Filipinos from being represented in Congress.

Reports showed that at least 56 party-list nominees in the House have net worth of more than P1 million.