Pending the resolution of cases involving party-list groups, the Commission on Elections says it has yet to decide who among the proclaimed party-list nominees can occupy congressional seats.
Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista admitted that they have not resolved the pending case of Senior Citizens that won two seats in the House of Representative. TUCP, Cibac, and 1-CARE have one seat each.
“We have several party-lists with two sets of nominees. We still need to decide on which faction should rightfully occupy the seats,” Bautista said in a radio interview.
Two other party-lists Ating Koop, and MTM Phils, that failed to win a seat have also pending cases before the Comelec en banc.
Bautista said that they have until June 30 to come up with the decision on party-list cases.
“We still have enough time to resolve these cases because the new lawmakers will not assume office until June 30,” he stressed.
Last May 19, the Comelec, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers proclaimed 46 winning party-list groups, from which the 59 sitting party-list solons will come.
The Comelec, though, has yet to award the Certificate of Proclamation (COPs) to those party-lists with two sets of nominees pending the resolution of their cases.
Based on Comelec Resolution No. 10061, there are six party-list groups with two sets of nominees, namely the Trade Union Congress Party; Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens in the Philippines (Senior Citizens); Citizens Battle Against Corruption (Cibac); 1st Consumers Alliance for Rural Energy, Inc. (1-CARE); Adhikaing Tinataguyod ng Kooperatiba (Ating Koop); and Mamamayan Tungo sa Maunlad na Pilipinas (MTM PHILS).