The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has declared finality on its decision to disqualify the Duterte Youth party-list after no temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued by the Supreme Court within the prescribed period, according to a report by GMA News Online.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia confirmed that the 30-day period for appeal lapsed without intervention from the High Court. “Nasa rules namin na kapag cancellation ng registration ng party, 30 days. Hinintay po natin kung makakakuha ng TRO sa 30 days na ‘yun. Mukhang hindi naman nag-issue ang SC ng TRO,” he said.
With this, the Clerk of the Commission has already released both the entry of judgment and certificate of finality. “Ibig sabihin, final ang decision as far as the Comelec is concerned,” Garcia explained.
The poll body has yet to deliberate on the three congressional seats that will be vacated by Duterte Youth following the ruling.
In August, the Comelec en banc upheld an earlier decision nullifying the party-list’s registration for failing to comply with mandatory publication and hearing requirements during its 2019 candidacy.
On September 3, Duterte Youth filed a 34-page petition before the Supreme Court seeking a TRO, as well as a writ of preliminary injunction and status quo ante order. The group argued that Comelec committed “grave abuse of discretion” in its rulings.
Duterte Youth, formally known as Duty to Energize the Republic through the Enlightenment of the Youth Sectoral Party-list Organization, secured over 2.3 million votes in the May 2019 elections, ranking second among party-lists and gaining three seats in the House of Representatives.
Its chairperson, Ronald Cardema, previously stated that despite opposition, many Filipinos wanted their group to have representation in Congress, particularly to push for measures such as the death penalty for plunderers and corrupt officials.
