Mikey Arroyo's disqualification case remains

MANILA, Philippines - While the disqualification case against party-list Ang Galing Pinoy (AGP) top nominee Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo remains pending at the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the group can still assume its lone seat in the House of Representatives, provided that AGP could decide among themselves and let the second nominee take the seat, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said yesterday.

“If the party-list that has been proclaimed by the Comelec is really desirous of a seat in Congress, then it should make that decision to talk to these nominees and put the best interest of the organization first,” he noted.

AGP was among the 28 groups proclaimed by the Comelec last May 31 after winning two percent of the votes cast for party-list organizations in the May 10 polls.

However, due to the consolidated disqualification cases lodged against Arroyo by former Bayan Muna congressman Satur Ocampo and Gabriela congresswoman Liza Maza, the Comelec has not proclaimed Arroyo as AGP’s nominee.

The petitioners believed that Arroyo should be disqualified because he does not belong to the AGP or is neither a member of the marginalized sector being a former presidential son and a former Pampanga congressman. 

AGP is a group representing security guards.

“We can proclaim the organization since there is no petition against it. But we cannot proclaim the nominee unless the first nominee abdicates the position so we can proclaim the second nominee,” Jimenez added.