Comelec: No Abang Lingkod proclamation

From the Visayan Daily Star (Nov 29): Comelec: No Abang Lingkod proclamation

“There will be no proclamation yet because the SC ruling is not final.”

That was the reaction yesterday of Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes to the Supreme Court order to the Comelec to proclaim Abang Lingkod a winning partylist group.

Abang Lingkod, a sectoral organization representing farmers and fisherfolk, obtained 260,215 votes during the May elections entitling it to a seat in the House of Representatives.

The Abang Lingkod first nominee is Stephen Paduano, alias Carapali Lualhati, former national commander of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade.

He said that, as first nominee, he expects to sit as Abang Lingkod’s representative in the House of Representatives, when the SC decision becomes final.

Brillantes said the Comelec will file a motion for reconsideration on the SC ruling that is “not yet final and executory”.

In its decision promulgated October 22, the SC reversed and set aside the resolution issued by the Comelec on May 10 cancelling Abang Lingkod’s registration, and disallowing its participation in the May 13 elections.

The Comelec gravely abused its discretion when it insisted on requiring Abang Lingkod to provide its track record even if that is no longer required pursuant to the SC pronouncement in Atong Paglaum, the High Court said.

Upholding the cancellation of Abang Lingkod’s registration, even if it was able to obtain sufficient number of votes for a legislative seat, would serve no purpose other than to subvert the will of the electorate who voted to give it the privilege to represent them in the House of Representatives, the SC also said.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/November/29/topstory4.htm