MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday slammed former National Youth Commission chair Ronald Cardema, who is eyeing to become the substitute nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list, saying Cardema’s action further dented the image of the party-list system.
“Ronald Cardema and the Duterte-youth party list are just two of many reasons why the party list system has become a joke,” Lacson said in a tweet.
The party-list system aims to enable Filipino citizens belonging to marginalized and underrepresented sectors to contribute to the formulation and enactment of appropriate legislation that will benefit the nation as a whole.
However, it was reported that the system is being used by some political clans to capture seats in Congress.
Cardema reportedly filed for substitution after the five nominees of the Duterte Youth—which he has since said does not claim to represent the youth sector—backed out despite the party-list doing well on pre-election surveys and at the actual polls.
Among the nominees who backed out are Cardema's wife and another relative.
Also on Tuesday, Malacañang said it received reports that Cardema presided over a meeting at NYC despite being deemed resigned from his post after he filed a certificate of substitution.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections said it has yet to issue a decision on Cardema’s plea, adding it will resolve the matter before the proclamation of senators and congressmen for the 18th Congress. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral with reports from Kristine Joy Patag and Rosette Adel