EDITORIAL - Abuse of a system

The party-list system has become a travesty, with groups that are anything but marginalized fielding front organizations, and nominees who have never been part of the groups they are supposed to represent winning seats in Congress.

If taxpayers are now paying the salaries, pork barrel allocations and upkeep of certain party-list representatives who clearly do not belong to the marginalized sector, and large political parties and religious organizations have managed to subvert the system, the Commission on Elections is not entirely to blame. The final word on accreditation rests with the Supreme Court. Comelec officials in the 2010 elections also said they were too preoccupied with the country’s first fully automated polls to effectively screen party-list applicants and their nominees.

These days the Comelec, whose new chairman has received the nod of the Commission on Appointments, is again busy preparing for automated elections in 2013, and deciding whether it will use the same system in 2010 or a new one. But Chairman Sixto Brillantes has not overlooked the party list. Earlier this week he reminded those planning to seek a party-list seat in 2013 to file their applications for accreditation early. This would not only allow the Comelec to screen each group thoroughly but also give the applicants more time to challenge a ruling disqualifying them.

This is a stopgap measure, until the rules and requirements for the system are fine-tuned so that it upholds the spirit of the law. The party list is meant to give marginalized sectors a voice in legislation. The selection of which sectors are truly marginalized and deserve special congressional representation must be done with great care. Framers of the Constitution had good intentions when they included the provision on the party-list, and that intent must not be undermined. Also, there are better uses for public funds than maintaining additional and sometimes undeserving members of Congress. Look at some of the party-list members now sitting in Congress: children of politicians and other prominent personalities who were born with a silver spoon, representing groups whose marginalized status continues to be the subject of debate.

The system has been so abused that it’s time to consider proposals for its abolition. This, however, will require a constitutional amendment. Until this happens, the Comelec must improve the rules and screening of party-list applicants, so that no one makes a mockery of the law.