Comelec eyes raps against Cardema

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be studying possible violations committed by Ronald Cardema, former National Youth Commission chief, when he applied as substitute nominee of Duterte Youth party-list, an official said yesterday.

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said she is referring Cardema’s case to the Comelec law department to determine whether or not a case could be pursued against him.

“He could have committed a crime – material misrepresentation in his CONA,” she noted in an interview, referring to the Certificate of Acceptance and Nomination that is filed with the Comelec by aspiring party-list nominees.

Last Monday, Comelec’s First Division cancelled Cardema’s nomination as substitute for Duterte Youth, thus disallowing him from serving as its sector representative. 

In her 15-page separate concurring opinion, Guanzon maintained that Cardema committed material misrepresentation in his CONA “when he declared that he is eligible to be a nominee of Duterte Youth when in truth and in fact he is not.”

She added that contrary to Cardema’s argument, the group is registered with Comelec as a sectoral representative for the youth and not a multi-sector party for the youth and young professionals. 

Guanzon said under the Party-list System Act, nominees of a youth sector “must at least be 25 years old but not more than 30 years old on the day of elections.” Cardema is 34.

“A perusal of the CONA of respondent Cardema indubitably reveals his failure to meet the age qualification for a youth sector nominee,” she added.

The official also posted in her Twitter account that the “circumstances surrounding” the withdrawal of the five original nominees of the group and Cardema’s nomination “speak resoundingly of a clear attempt, not just to circumvent the law and the rules, but also to hide from the electorate Cardema’s ineligibility as nominee.”

Cardema will appeal his disqualification by the Comelec as Duterte Youth representative.

He informed his would-be colleagues in the House yesterday that he intends to challenge the decision of the Comelec First Division before the entire commission.            – With Jess Diaz