Party-list: Mikey Arroyo's group, 10 others disqualified anew

MANILA (1st UPDATE) - Mikey Arroyo’s Ang Galing Pinoy Party and 10 other party-list groups have been disqualified again by the commission on Elections (Comelec) from the mid-term elections.

The 11 are among the 39 groups whose disqualification were remanded by the high court to the poll body along with a new set of guidelines for determining who qualifies for the party-list system.

The 11 are:

A-IPRA,
ABANG LINGKOD,
ANAD,
ANG GALING PINOY,
ATONG PAGLAUM,

SENIOR CITIZENS,
SMART,
1ST KABAGIS,
BANTAY,
COCOFED,
BINHI.

The accreditation of the Kaagapay ng Nagkakaisang Agilang Pilipinong Magsasaka (KAP), meantime, was not cancelled. However, it was not allowed to participate in the 2013 elections.

The 39 sought relief from the high court following their disqualification by the Comelec last year or early this year for supposedly failing to comply with the Supreme Court’s old rules.

COMELEC SETS HEARING FOR 3 GROUPS

Chairman Sixto Brillantes added that aside from  the 12, the Comelec will also set for hearing the accreditation of 3 groups.

These are: Pacyaw, 1Utak, and Pasang Masda.

These 3 groups received votes of 2-2 in the initial voting of the poll body.

Brillantes says he did not join the voting on these 3 to break the tie.

He says they have asked newly appointed Comelec commissioners Al Parreno and Lui Guia to vote.

In turn, the 2 have asked for hearings.

Renato Reyes of Kontra Daya says, "Comelec must embark on a massive info drive, down to the LGU's, to tell voters that these groups are disqualified and should not be voted lest the votes be considered invalid."

"The decision to accredit some while disqualifying others may again raise questions. Hindi lang dapat 11 yung nadisqualify dyan. Kontra Daya's motion to Comelec listed at least 35 should remain disqualified. We don't know how the comelec arrived at their decision. Still, it is Comelec's job to inform the electorate about the status of the 11 groups."

QUALIFIED TO RUN

The rest of the 39 are qualified to run in the party-list elections based on Supreme Court’s new guidelines.

Allowed to run:

1CARE,
BAYANI,
AAMA,
AKMA-PTM,
AKB,

AANI,
UNIMAD,
ALIM,
FIRM 24-K,
ARAL,

BUTIL,
ABROAD,
1BRO,
PGBI,
ARC,

1GANAP,
A BLESSED,
ABP,
ARARO,
APEC,

AKO BAHAY,
AGRI,
AANGAT TAYO,
GREEN FORCE, and
KAKUSA.

Most of these groups were included in the printing of the official ballots because of  status quo ante orders issued by the Supreme Court.

Brillantes previously said that the Comelec will just not count the votes of those who will remain disqualified at the time of the election.