Former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo has expressed strong support for the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) decision to revoke the registration of the Duterte Youth party-list, saying the group merely exploited the Duterte name without living up to it.
Speaking on his DWAR Abante Radyo program “Easy Lang,” Panelo did not hold back in criticizing the organization, noting that it had long been questionable both in intent and in conduct.
“’Yang Duterte Youth, wala akong kabilib-bilib diyan,” Panelo said bluntly. “Ginamit lang talaga nila ‘yung pangalang Duterte… puro mga hindi magaganda record niyan. Talagang ginamit lang nila.”
He stressed that Comelec’s action was warranted, citing the group’s alleged violations and the controversial track record of its leaders. For Panelo, the decision was not just legally sound but necessary to uphold integrity in the party-list system.
The Duterte Youth party-list, once seen as a political extension of the former president’s influence in Congress, has been mired in issues since its inception—including questions about qualifications, leadership, and its use of the Duterte surname. Panelo, known as one of Rodrigo Duterte’s staunchest defenders, made it clear that he saw no legitimate connection between the party-list group and the Duterte family’s political vision.
