Protests Filed Over Suspension of Election Proclamation
Two party-lists that won seats in the recent mid-term elections have formally challenged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after their proclamations were unexpectedly suspended. Duterte Youth and Bagong Henerasyon (BH) Party-lists announced their protests following Comelec’s decision announced on May 19, which halted their official recognition despite their electoral victories.
The two groups said they were informed only hours before the scheduled proclamation event that their proclamations would be suspended. This sudden move prompted both party-lists to file formal protests with Comelec, citing irregularities and a lack of due process.
Allegations and Legal Issues Behind Proclamation Suspension
Duterte Youth is facing a five-year-old petition for disqualification, accused of misrepresenting their credentials. Meanwhile, BH Party-list is under scrutiny for an alleged violation of Section 261 (i) of the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits interference by public officers and employees in the election process.
Duterte Youth questioned why Comelec revisited a 2019 case when the party-list was allowed to take seats in both the 2019 and 2022 elections. “Comelec mentioned that ‘due to the serious allegations’ in a case filed by the leftist Kabataan Party-List in 2019, Duterte Youth Party-List’s proclamation today will be suspended,” their statement said.
They added, “If the allegations of Kabataan Party-List were ‘very serious’ in 2019, why did Comelec allow Duterte Youth Party-List to assume in Congress after the 2019 elections, be elected again and assume in Congress after the 2022 elections, and be elected again in the 2025 elections wherein millions of Filipino Voters elected Duterte Youth Party-List to be their representatives in Congress.”
The party-list also emphasized that it is not their fault that Comelec did not dismiss the case after the last hearing in 2019. They accused Comelec of attempting to undermine the Filipino people’s votes by delaying the proclamation.
Divergent Reactions to the Suspension
On the other hand, a congresswoman-elect from Kabataan Party-list, who also won in the recent elections, gave a brief response to Duterte Youth’s predicament, simply stating, “Deserve.”
Meanwhile, BH Party-list’s representative expressed surprise over the suspension, saying they received no prior warning or official notice from Comelec. She asked, “How can we be held to account for an accusation that remains invisible—unnamed, unheard, and unexplained?”
She highlighted the impact on voters, questioning, “And more importantly: how can 319,803 Filipinos be silenced so easily?”
The BH representative insisted that Comelec’s own guidelines require a case to be resolved before suspending a proclamation. “In this case—where no complaint has even been furnished to us, much less ruled upon—how can a suspension be justified?” she asked.
She further stressed the need for fairness and respect for the Filipino people’s will, stating, “We ask not just for fairness, but for respect—for the vote, for the voice, for the will of the Filipino people.”
BH Party-list declared its readiness to respond to any complaint but emphasized that until proper disclosure and due process take place, suspending their proclamation disenfranchises hundreds of thousands of voters and is unconstitutional.
Next Steps and Legal Challenges
Duterte Youth’s chairman plans to seek relief from the Supreme Court, challenging what they describe as Comelec’s “grave abuse of discretion.” Both party-lists continue to assert their rights and demand transparency and due process from election authorities.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions surrounding election results and the legal challenges that can arise even after voters have cast their ballots. As the situation unfolds, affected parties and their supporters remain vigilant in defending their mandates.
For more news and updates on election proclamation protests, visit Filipinokami.com.