Many party-list groups disqualified in 2016 elections

MANILA, Philippines —  The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday said that several party-list organizations have been disqualified in the May 2016 polls.

Comelec Chair Andres Bautista said the applications of groups that showed intention to participate in the upcoming elections were denied during the hearings conducted by the Comelec First and Second Divisions.

Bautista said the party-list organizations were rejected due to either technical or substantive grounds. He refused to specify the reasons further.

Bautista said the two divisions were given an internal deadline of October 5 to finish the hearing and issuance of resolutions.

The poll agency chief clarified that the disqualified groups could still file petitions for their case before the commission en banc.

“After the division of the party-list concerned, in case they are turned down, they have the remedy of filing motion for reconsideration with the Comelec en banc,” Bautista said.

The Comelec aims to finalize the roster of party-list groups running in the net elections by Dec. 5, 2015.

Last May, 243 party-list groups filed their respective Manifestations of Intent to Participate in the 2016 elections. They outnumbered the 183 party-list organizations which filed the intent for the 2013 midterm elections.