MANILA - Former youth commissioner Ronald Cardema's plea to be a substitute nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list is "not yet decided," a Commission on Elections official said Thursday, contrary to some media reports.

Comelec Commissioner Sheriff Abas was quoted as saying in some reports that Cardema met the deadline of filing his petition to replace his wife as first nominee of the party-list.

Abas, however, "signed a Reso[lution] giving due course to Cardema's application for substitution but whether he is qualified to substitute is another matter," Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said on Twitter.

"The issue in that Reso is only : did Cardema file his application for substitution in time on or before May 13? Chair Abas said Cardema had majority vote of Commissioners," said the official.

"But can he substitute ? Is Cardema qualified to be rep of Duterte Youth? That is not yet decided," she added.

Guanzon also said she will express dissent against the resolution.

Cardema's wife Ducielle and 4 other nominees of Duterte Youth withdrew their candidacies on May 12, a day before the midterm elections. Cardema filed his petition for substitution on the same day.

Aside from the deadline issue, the 33-year-old Cardema also faces questions on whether or not he is qualified to represent the youth sector. Under the Party-list System Act, a nominee of the youth sector must not be more than 30 years old on the day of the election.

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Cardema, who attended the party-list proclamation in Pasay City on Wednesday, refused to answer questions from the media.

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