Press Release
13 November 2009
OFW group urges COMELEC to act promptly on Migrante Partylist petition against its delistment
Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of various overseas Filipino workers’ organizations based in the Middle East, today is urging the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to act promptly on the formal opposition filed by Migrante Partylist against its resolution delisting Migrante as registered sectoral party of OFWs and their families.
“We are urging the COMELEC to act promptly on the formal opposition filed by Migrante Sectoral Party on 26 October 2009 praying that it be reinstated in the registered list of qualified sectoral parties and thereby participate in the May 2010 Party-list election,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante regional coordinator in the Middle East.
On October 13, 2009, the COMELEC promulgated En banc Reso. No. 8679 which delisted Migrante Sectoral Party among other 25 groups in the official registered list of qualified partylist groups citing Sec.6 (8) of Republic Act 7941 or otherwise know as the Partylist System Act.
However, Migrante Partylist contested that it could not be delisted as there is no ground to disqualify it and which case does not fall under Sec.6, paragraph (8) of RA 7941.
Monterona cited the Implementing Rules and Regulations promulgated by the COMELEC En banc on 7 November 2000 through Resolution No.3307 where Sec.6 (8) is not among the grounds cited for the removal or cancellation of registration.
Monterona said assuming the COMELEC committed lapses for non-inclusion of Sec.6 (8) of RA 7941 on its Resolution No.3307 (IRR of RA 7941) however, there were several partylist groups allowed to participate in the May 2001 elections even though it fails to participate in the last two (2) preceding elections or fails to obtain at least two percentum (2%) of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two (2) preceding elections for the constituency in which it has registered.
“Migrante Sectoral Party should be re-instated or re-enlisted as soon as possible as none of the gounds for disqualification applies to it,” the OFW leader asserted.
“Above all, the basic right of due process as guaranteed to any person or entity enshrined in the democratic processes of Philippine institutions dictate that no one would be strip off its right without prior notice and hearing its side, which the COMELEC failed to respect and abide performing quasi-judicial function -such is the delistment of Migrante and other partylist groups,” Monterona averred.
Monterona said the COMELEC has committed injustice to OFWs and their families by not observing due process on its delistment of Migrante, now delaying to act on Migrante’s formal opposition and petition filed on 26 October 2009 would be another act of injustice.
Monterona observed as many have been questioning the integrity of the COMELEC to hold an honest, orderly, and peaceful elctions in the coming May 2010 elections, it may still redeem its tainted integrity by doing the right thing and decisions like re-enlisting Migrante in the list of qualified and registered partylist groups and allowing it to participate in the May 2010 elections.
“Otherwise, OFWs and their families would come to believed that the supposed independent Constitutional commission (COMELEC) is being used too by the Arroyo regime to continuously persecute groups critical to it including the Migrante Sectoral Party,” Monterona averred.
“To Honorable Commissioners of the COMELEC: allow Migrante as a legitimate sectoral organization of OFWs and their families to participate in what we believed to be a democratic exercise like the Party-list elections so that they would have genuine representation in Congress,” Monterona ended. # # #
For reference:
John Leonard Monterona
Migrante Middle-East regional coordinator
Mobile No.: 00966 564 97 8012
13 November 2009
OFW group urges COMELEC to act promptly on Migrante Partylist petition against its delistment
Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of various overseas Filipino workers’ organizations based in the Middle East, today is urging the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to act promptly on the formal opposition filed by Migrante Partylist against its resolution delisting Migrante as registered sectoral party of OFWs and their families.
“We are urging the COMELEC to act promptly on the formal opposition filed by Migrante Sectoral Party on 26 October 2009 praying that it be reinstated in the registered list of qualified sectoral parties and thereby participate in the May 2010 Party-list election,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante regional coordinator in the Middle East.
On October 13, 2009, the COMELEC promulgated En banc Reso. No. 8679 which delisted Migrante Sectoral Party among other 25 groups in the official registered list of qualified partylist groups citing Sec.6 (8) of Republic Act 7941 or otherwise know as the Partylist System Act.
However, Migrante Partylist contested that it could not be delisted as there is no ground to disqualify it and which case does not fall under Sec.6, paragraph (8) of RA 7941.
Monterona cited the Implementing Rules and Regulations promulgated by the COMELEC En banc on 7 November 2000 through Resolution No.3307 where Sec.6 (8) is not among the grounds cited for the removal or cancellation of registration.
Monterona said assuming the COMELEC committed lapses for non-inclusion of Sec.6 (8) of RA 7941 on its Resolution No.3307 (IRR of RA 7941) however, there were several partylist groups allowed to participate in the May 2001 elections even though it fails to participate in the last two (2) preceding elections or fails to obtain at least two percentum (2%) of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two (2) preceding elections for the constituency in which it has registered.
“Migrante Sectoral Party should be re-instated or re-enlisted as soon as possible as none of the gounds for disqualification applies to it,” the OFW leader asserted.
“Above all, the basic right of due process as guaranteed to any person or entity enshrined in the democratic processes of Philippine institutions dictate that no one would be strip off its right without prior notice and hearing its side, which the COMELEC failed to respect and abide performing quasi-judicial function -such is the delistment of Migrante and other partylist groups,” Monterona averred.
Monterona said the COMELEC has committed injustice to OFWs and their families by not observing due process on its delistment of Migrante, now delaying to act on Migrante’s formal opposition and petition filed on 26 October 2009 would be another act of injustice.
Monterona observed as many have been questioning the integrity of the COMELEC to hold an honest, orderly, and peaceful elctions in the coming May 2010 elections, it may still redeem its tainted integrity by doing the right thing and decisions like re-enlisting Migrante in the list of qualified and registered partylist groups and allowing it to participate in the May 2010 elections.
“Otherwise, OFWs and their families would come to believed that the supposed independent Constitutional commission (COMELEC) is being used too by the Arroyo regime to continuously persecute groups critical to it including the Migrante Sectoral Party,” Monterona averred.
“To Honorable Commissioners of the COMELEC: allow Migrante as a legitimate sectoral organization of OFWs and their families to participate in what we believed to be a democratic exercise like the Party-list elections so that they would have genuine representation in Congress,” Monterona ended. # # #
For reference:
John Leonard Monterona
Migrante Middle-East regional coordinator
Mobile No.: 00966 564 97 8012
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