Duterte Youth’s Contradictory Stance on President Marcos
Kabataan Party-list Representative Raoul Manuel recently highlighted the conflicting views expressed by Ronald Cardema, chairman of the rival Duterte Youth Party-list, regarding President Marcos. Manuel called attention to Cardema’s recent press conference where he urged Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia to resign amid the ongoing Cabinet reshuffle. This move struck many as inconsistent given Duterte Youth’s earlier attempt to file an impeachment complaint against President Marcos just weeks ago.
Manuel criticized Cardema’s apparent shift in position, saying, “Kahit pinapa-impeach nila si Marcos Jr., biglang suportado nila ang kaniyang courtesy resignation order para ipag-resign ang Comelec chair. Sumisipsip na naman sila para lang makaupo sa pwesto. Trapo hanggang dulo.” (Even if they’re trying to impeach Marcos Jr., they suddenly support his courtesy resignation order to have the Comelec chair step down. They’re sucking up just to hold on to power. A traditional politician to the end.)
Legal Debate Over Comelec’s Role in Cabinet Reshuffle
It is important to note that the Comelec operates as a constitutional body and is not part of the Cabinet. Therefore, some experts argue that President Marcos’ call for courtesy resignations does not legally apply to Comelec officials. This legal nuance adds complexity to Cardema’s demand for the Comelec chair’s resignation.
Observers suggest Cardema may have a personal grievance against the Comelec, as the commission suspended the proclamation of Duterte Youth as one of the winning party-lists in the May 12 midterm elections. During the press conference, Cardema accused Comelec of focusing on political maneuvers rather than addressing election irregularities.
Allegations of Election Irregularities and Unequal Treatment
Manuel responded by pointing out the need for Comelec to investigate alleged anomalies and fraud in the recent elections. He emphasized the issue of how an unregistered and allegedly fake party-list like Duterte Youth was allowed to run and occupy seats in Congress for nearly five years.
He stated, “Maraming dapat aksyunan na anomalya at pandaraya ang Comelec sa nagdaang eleksyon at nasa tuktok ng listahan ang misteryo kung bakit nahayaang tumakbo at umupo ng halos limang taon sa Kongreso ang isang peke at di rehistradong party-list tulad ng Duterte Youth. Ito ang totoong unequal treatment. Ito ang pamumulitika na dapat matigil na. Di porket kapangalan mo o kakampi ang nasa pwesto ay lulusot ka na sa batas.” (The Comelec has many irregularities and cases of fraud from the recent elections that need to be addressed, and at the top of the list is the mystery of how an unregistered and fake party-list like Duterte Youth was allowed to run and sit in Congress for nearly five years. This is the real unequal treatment. This is the kind of political maneuvering that must end. Just because you share a name with someone in power or have allies in office doesn’t mean you can bypass the law.)
The Implications of Duterte Youth’s Political Moves
Duterte Youth’s failure to file the impeachment complaint was reportedly due to the absence of the House Secretary General, who was supposed to receive the documents. This procedural lapse left the impeachment effort incomplete.
Meanwhile, the political landscape remains tense as Duterte Youth’s stance appears inconsistent, shifting from opposition through impeachment to supporting President Marcos’ courtesy resignation order. Critics argue this reflects a willingness to align with power for political survival.
The ongoing debate highlights the challenges within party-list politics and election oversight in the Philippines, raising questions about fairness, accountability, and the rule of law.
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