Comelec urged to proclaim Gabriela nominee

MANILA, Philippines — With the cancellation of Duterte Youth party-list’s registration, women’s group Gabriela yesterday called on the Commission on Elections to proclaim their nominee to the House of Representatives the soonest so they can serve the sector they represent best.

Gabriela urged the poll body for an “immediate proclamation of the genuine women’s representative in the party-list system.”

In the list and hierarchy of organizations who won in the May 12 elections, Gabriela is ranked 55th and would ease into winning circle with one representative after obtaining a total of 256,522 votes or 0.62 percent, followed by Abono’s 0.61 percent (254,402) and Ang Probinsiyano’s 0.60 percent (250,555).

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the three nominees of Duterte Youth, which placed second to topnotcher Akbayan, might not be able to assume their posts at the House, unless the order suspending their proclamation is lifted.

“If there is no Comelec en banc decision by June 30 or if there is no ruling lifting the order to suspend the proclamation, then not one of the nominees may be proclaimed,” Garcia said.

Noting that the decision to cancel the Duterte Youth is not yet final, Gabriela called on Comelec “to ensure that this decision holds and to prevent any attempts to reinstate the registration of this fraudulent group.”

“This fake party-list has consistently supported policies that harm the very sectors it purports to serve. Rather than advancing youth welfare and rights, it has been complicit in the militarization of schools, the red-tagging of student activists and the suppression of academic freedom,” Gabriela said in a statement.

“The cancellation of Duterte Youth’s registration marks an initial victory for women, children, LGBTQ+ communities and all people fighting against the bastardization of the party-list system,” it added.

Gabriela stressed that the “party-list system was created to amplify the voices of the marginalized and not to serve as a backdoor for political dynasties.”

“We call on Filipino women and the broader public to remain vigilant against fake representatives and to rally behind people’s organizations and party-lists with proven track records of service to the people – not to self-serving and elite political interests,” Gabriela stressed. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Mayen Jaymalin