Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymond Palatino expressed dismay over Commission on Election’s (COMELEC) decision today giving multimillionaire and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s son Mikey Arroyo a seat in Congress as the representative of Ang Galing Pinoy, a partylist claiming to represent security guards, taxi and jeepney drivers.

“COMELEC’s decision is a clear mockery of the partylist system. This is a grave insult to the Filipino people. We do not want, and will not allow another Arroyo in the Congress,” says Palatino.

Palatino called on COMELEC to review their decision, saying the move contradicts an earlier ruling disqualifying nominees of Ang Kasangga Partylist. The COMELEC recently ruled in favor of a disqualification case alleging that the first two nominees of Kasangga were not from the marginalized sector.

“For Arroyo to be seated alongside workers, women, farmers, teachers, senior citizens in the Congress is just plain wrong. COMELEC made a very wrong move,” said Palatino.

Kabataan Partylist and other youth groups intend to file a formal motion to call on COMELEC to reverse its decision.

Palatino also stressed the “urgent need” to review the partylist law. “The review and amendment of the partylist lawis must be prioritized in the 15th Congress. There should be clear guidelines to prevent the abuse of the partylist system,” he said. ###

“The lack of information and the Commission on Elections’ apparent lack of enthusiasm and support for the extended voters’ registration were also to blame for the modest turnout of prospective registrants in the first days of poll registration,” Kabataan Party-list Vice President Carl Marc Ramota today said as voters’ registration marked its third and last day before the holiday break.

“Many are still unaware that voters’ registration has been extended by the Supreme Court as there has been minimal or even no information dissemination campaign by Comelec’s national and local offices. Instead, what we’ve been hearing these past few days are the endless ranting and speculations by some Comelec officials about the resumption of voters’ registration this month,” Ramota pointed out.

“Comelec’s irresponsible remarks toward the extended poll registration are sowing confusion and even fear among prospective first-time voters which keep them from registering for the upcoming elections,” he said.

“It’s quite saddening to see how Comelec regards and handles the extended voters’ registration considering that the right to suffrage is its primary mandate as a poll body,” Ramota added.

December registrants should be allowed to vote

Kabataan Party-list urged the Commission on Elections to be prudent and end speculation over the extended voters’ registration.

“Comelec should avoid making speculations as this will only sow confusion among prospective first-time voters,” Kabataan Party-list Vice President Carl Marc Ramota said.

The youth group was reacting to recent statements made by some Comelec officials that December registrants might not be able to vote on May 2010.

“That is downright absurd and irresponsible. December registrants and those who registered before October 31 have the same right to suffrage. The time of registration should have no bearing on an individual’s basic right to vote,” Ramota pointed out.

“Comelec should instead lead the information drive and encourage more potential first-time voters to register,” he added.

Ramota also called on Comelec confirm and immediately act on reports of non-compliance of some Comelec offices to resume registration and address the problem of lack of registration forms.

Meanwhile, Ramota also questioned Comelec’s decision to shorten the actual voters’ registration to December 29, 2009. Under Comelec Resolution no. 8719, the poll body only allotted five days, December 21 to 23 and December 28 to 29 for the actual registration.  The remaining days were set aside to hear oppositions to applications for registration.

“We do not know how Comelec interpreted the Supreme Court ruling but decision is very clear, January 9, 2010 should be the last day of actual voters’ registration, not December 29, 2009. Cutting the actual voters’ registration by more than one week could mean disenfranchising one million prospective first-time voters,” he said.

Reference:
Carl Marc L. Ramota
Kabataan Party-list Executive Vice President
09194138288

“We expect a significant turnout of prospective first-time voters in the first three days of registration,” Kabataan Party-list Vice President Carl Marc Ramota said as voters’ registration resumed today.

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court nullified Comelec Resolution no. 8585 which shortened the registration period to October 31, 2009 and granted Kabataan Party-list’s petition to extend voters’ registration to January 9, 2010. Based on the Voters Registration Act of 1996, the last day of registration should be 120 days before the day of elections.

“This is the best time to register for the upcoming elections as most students have already gone back to their home provinces and more work leave are given to employees. We call on our fellow youth and other eligible Filipinos to seize the holidays to register for the 2010 elections,” Ramota added.

While there was a significant increase in the number of registered voters from the last national elections, Ramota said a lot of prospective first-time voters were unable to enlist in the shortened registration period.

“We cannot put all the blame on our fellow Filipinos. Comelec also has its share of problems. Throughout the registration process, a number of Comelec offices were only able to accommodate 200 to 300 registrants per day and even run out of registration forms in some areas,” Ramota explained.

“Natural and man-made disasters also prevented a significant number of prospective first-time voters from registering,” he added.

Comelec guidelines contemptuous of SC ruling

Ramota also hit Comelec’s “selective” implementation of the Supreme Court ruling, saying the poll body’s guidelines for the extended registration period is “contemptuous of the High Court’s order.”

Under Comelec Resolution no. 8719, the poll body only allotted five days, December 21 to 23 and December 28 to 29 for the actual registration. The remaining days were set aside to hear oppositions to applications for registration.

“Comelec’s plan to shorten the extended voters’ registration to just five days is simply unacceptable. Voters’ registration in fact should have resumed last week as the Supreme Court’s order is immediately executory,” he pointed out.

He added that Comelec should stop using the extended voters’ registration as an escape goat to cover up for its shortcomings in preparing for the automated elections. “Comelec should stop scaring voters. Instead, it should use voter registration as opportunity to encourage more voters in defending democracy,” he said.

“Kapansin-pansin na lenient ang Comelec sa Smartmatic kahit pa pabagu-pago ito ng deadline at maraming excuses sa pagkakaantala ng delivery ng mga voting machine. Hindi nito sinisingil ang Smartmatic sa automation delays pero ipinapasa ang sisi sa mga botante,” he said.

“While it is important to prepare for the country’s first automated elections, this should not be done at the expense of the people’s basic right to suffrage,” Ramota said.

“Comelec will be doing the greatest injustice to its very mandate and to Filipinos whose right to suffrage it swore to uphold,” he said.

Ramota also challenged presidentiables to release informercials to inform the public about the special registration dates. ###

Reference:
Carl Marc L. Ramota
Kabataan Party-list Executive Vice President
09194138288

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino today urged the Comelec to resume voter registration within the week.

Palatino made the appeal after the Comelec said that it would file for a motion to clarify before the Supreme Court following the latter’s favorable decision to Kabataan Party-list’s petition to extend voter registration.

Citing the text of the high court’s decision, he said that since the SC ruling is immediately executory, voter registration should have resumed today and should continue ‘daily during regular office hours, except only during the period starting 120 days before a regular election and 90 days before a special election.’

Palatino said that he does not see any reason for the Comelec to be waiting for December 21 to implement the decision since voter registration is ‘not an entirely new administrative task for the Comelec’. The Comelec has recently set staggered schedules for voter registration on December 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and January 4 until January 9.

“So we would be wasting five whole days from today until December 21. As early as now we are receiving reports of prospective new registrants lining up at Comelec offices only to be sent away because the Comelec is still dawdling,” he said.

“There is a reason why the SC was quick in issuing a decision, that is because time is most precious at this point for voter registration. The sooner the Comelec implements that ruling, the better for more prospective new registrants,” he said.

Stop blaming delays on voter registration
Palatino also advised the Comelec to stop blaming present and potential delays in poll preparation on the extension of voter registration.

“Comelec’s pitting poll automation against voter registration is seriously getting old. Whatever problems the preparations for poll automation have experienced before, are experiencing presently and will face in the future has nothing to do with voter registration.”

He said that preparation for poll automation, as revealed by the Comelec itself, has been behind one month since November.
“That was even before the SC ruling. Now will they be laying the blame on the delayed shipment of poll machines on the SC ruling too? Voter registration has nothing to do with that. Preparations for poll automation and the extension of voter registration are two entirely different entities that are independent of each other.”
Palatino also echoed the Supreme Court’s opinion that ‘the period of 120 days before a regular election and 90 days before a special election is enough time for the Comelec to make ALL the necessary preparations with respect to the coming elections,’ including completion of project precincts, constitution of the Board of Election inspectors, finalization of the Computerized Voters List, among others. ###

Kabataan Partylist welcomed the Supreme Court’s favorable decision on its petition to extend the registration of voters for the May 10, 2010 elections to the second week of January.

“This is a best Christmas gift for the youth, tamang-tama para sa huling Pasko bago mag-eleksyon. We express our greatest appreciation to the Supreme Court for upholding the right to register and right of suffrage,” said Kabataan Rep. Raymond “Mong” Palatino

Palatino said that he expects the Commission on Elections to comply with the High Court order at the soonest possible time as it is immediately executory.

“The Comelec is now tasked to immediately and without delay inform the public of the proper guidelines, mechanics and date of immediate resumption of continuing registration. The sooner they are able to do this, the better for more prospective new registrants,” he said.

Palatino said, “Whatever impediments the Comelec may deem that would hinder the immediate implementation of this ruling, they will have to take up with the High Court. What is clear now is that they are compelled to comply by the SC ruling at the soonest possible time. Siguradong pipila na bukas na bukas pa lang ang mga kabataan.”

The youth solon also said that their group is more than willing to provide assistance to the Comelec to be able to reach out to the broadest number of prospective new voters starting today until January 9.

“We also encourage our youth and first-time voters who have not yet registered to avail of this opportunity. Let us not waste any more time, magparehistro na ang dapat magparehistro,” said Palatino. For its part, Kabataan will continue its own voter registration campaign dubbed ‘Isang Milyon, Isang Panata,’ a youth effort to register as many as 1 million new voters for the 2010 polls. ###

See full text of Supreme Court ruling here.

Last October 29, 2009. Kabataan Party-list, together with youth leaders from various organizations along with prospective first-time voters, went to the Supreme Court to file a petition that, if granted, would urge the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to resume the registration of voters until January 9, 2010 from its self-imposed deadline of October 31, 2009.

This petition was based on two legal bases. First, the October 31 deadline of the COMELEC is seventy (70) days short of the deadline prescribed by law under the Voters Registration Act of 1996. Second, for effectively amending the law by setting the deadline prior to the prescribed date, COMELEC usurped the legislative power of Congress.

But beyond the legal bases, we would like to assert the conditions that make the affirmative granting of this petition imperative and urgent.

Just recently, the Commission on Elections announced that it was able to register around 2.7 million new voters for the 2010 polls. This figure is a far cry from Comelec’s three (3) million target turnout, and even farther from the five (5) million new registrants that it projected at the beginning of the year. The National Statistics Office itself estimated that there are about 10 million unregistered eligible voters for this year.

The figures are telling. The glaring fact is, up to 7 million eligible voters were unable to register in the shortened registration period.

Blame cannot be put entirely on Filipinos’ “last minute” habit. This year witnessed a confluence of tragedies that affected voter registration: the swine flu outbreak, deaths of important personalities that spawned non-working holidays, and the massive flooding brought about by supertyphoons Ondoy and Pepeng. Moreover, the low turnout can also be attributed to the fact that the Comelec did not have adequate resources and manpower to accommodate hundreds of registrants per day.

We maintain that the Comelec created the conditions that led to a low turnout when it shortened the period of voter registration, a move that is contrary to law. It violated the people’s right to register and right of suffrage when it issued and implemented Comelec Resolution No. 8585, fixing the deadline of application of registration of voters on October 31, 2009, more than two months earlier than is prescribed by law.

Despite these factors, the Comelec did not heed calls to extend the voter registration period. It claims that it is preparing heavily for the automated elections – perpetually and ironically pitting poll automation and the people’s right to register against each other. We reiterate, as we did in our petition to the Supreme Court, that these two aspects should not contradict but instead, if the Comelec were resourceful enough, complement one and the other.

We simply cannot accept this argument by the Comelec at face value. Both poll automation and voter registration are major responsibilities of the Comelec and they cannot just simply drop the one in favor of the other.  In fact, not anywhere in the Poll Automation Law does it state that the Comelec is given mandate to arbitrarily shorten or revise the deadline for continuing registration ‘to pave way for preparations for poll automation.’

We have been consistent with our calls to extend voter registration back to its original deadline since day one. But everytime, the Comelec vehemently resisted and instead dangled the ‘failure of elections’ threat to our faces should we pursue our campaign.

This precisely is the reason why we came to you. We have sought out no less than the intervention of our highest judicial body to make the Comelec understand, respect and comply with the rule of law. Indeed, the wisdom and judgment of the Supreme Court might be the only way to prevent millions of Filipinos from being denied their vote. Else, we can as early as now consider the upcoming 2010 elections a failure.

In less than a month, our petition will have become moot and academic. By January 10, regardless of a favorable ruling by the Supreme Court, the deadline prescribed by law (120 days before day of the elections) would have lapsed and millions of prospective first-time voters would have permanently been disenfranchised for the coming elections.

We remain hopeful that the High Court will heed the call of the youth. This Court has proven many times that it can act swiftly on matters of national interest when legal resolution is urgent. We find no reason for this Court to delay affirming the constitutional right of suffrage to millions of Filipinos who have been injured by COMELEC’s actions. We thus appeal for this Court to render a resolution to our urgent petition at the soonest possible time, before everything is too late.

Cliche as it may sound, justice delayed is justice denied.

Signed by the petitioners,

Kenneth Carlisle Earl Eugenio, prospective first-time-voter;

Ana Katrina Tejero, prospective first-time-voter;

Victor Louis Crisostomo, prospective first-time-voter;

Jacqueline Alexis Merced, prospective first-time-voter;

Jade Charmane Rose Valenzuela, prospective first-time-voter;

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino;

Alvin Peters, President, National Union of Students of the Philippines;

Ma. Cristina Guevarra, Chairperson, Student Christian Movement;

Vencer Mari Crisostomo, Secretary-General, Kabataan;

Vijae Alquisola, President, College Editors Guild of the Philippines; and,

Dianne Kristel Asuelo, Secretary-General, Kabataang Artista para sa Tunay na Kalayaan

Kabataan Party-list Representative Raymond “Mong” Palatino today expressed dismay over the Commission on Elections’ decision to bar Ang Ladlad Partylist from seeking congressional representation on grounds that it “tolerates immorality.”

“We feel saddened with the Comelec’s decision to dismiss Ang Ladlad’s petition. It is unfortunate that discrimination against the LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders) community is reflected in offices such as the Comelec, an agency that is expected to know what the meaning of democracy is,” said Palatino.

The young solon said he “shares the disappointment of a broad number of LGBT in the youth sector.”

Palatino said the Comelec’s rationale for dismissing Ang Ladlad’s petition is “flawed and myopic.” “It seems that the Comelec is guided by antiquated beliefs, such as equating homosexuality with immorality. Para silang nabubuhay sa Stone Age,” he said.

“If being gay offends the morals, what about killing activists and stealing from the people’s coffers? If it refused accreditation to legitimate sectoral representatives such as Ang Ladlad, why did it allow pseudo partylists like Bantay and Kasangga? As far as I know, these pseudo-partylists are the real threats to young Filipinos. Pseudo-partylists and political opportunists using the partylist system for their vested interests are the ones who are truly ‘immoral,” Palatino said.

Bantay Partylist is represented by retired general Jovito Palaparan, who was known as “the butcher” for his bloody human rights records, while Kasangga’s seat is taken by Lourdes Arroyo, younger sister of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.

“We would rather work with Ang Ladlad here in Congress than with these partylists which do not represent marginalized sectors. We are one with the LGBT community, especially the LGBT youth, in condemning this flawed and lopsided decision,” the youth solon said.

Palatino also denounced the Comelec’s recent decision to refuse accreditation to Migrante Partylist, which represents Overseas Filipino Workers. Since the introduction of the partylist system in 1998, there hasn’t been any Congressional representative from both the LGBT and OFW sectors.###

Kabataan Partylist Rep. Mong Palatino today called on the Supreme Court to immediately deliberate and compel the Commission on Elections to comply with the Voters Registration Law, mandating that continuing registration should run daily until 120 days prior to elections.

The young lawmaker filed an Urgent Petition for Certiorari and Mandamus (with Application for Preliminary Mandatory Injunction) last Friday amidst Comelec’s refusal to extend voter registration despite apparent failure to accommodate millions of new registrants until the deadline last Saturday.

“The fact that the Comelec ‘extended’ the registration until Wednesday is proof that it cannot accomodate the number of registrants given the shortened registration period and that there is really a need to move the deadline to what is mandated by the law. We urge the Supreme Court to immediately act on our petition and compel the Comelec to resume voter registration,” he said.

Based on RA 8189, Palatino said the deadline of voter registration should be should be on January 9, 2010, not on October 31, 2009 which is 70 days earlier than is prescribed by the law.

Palatino said the Comelec should not completely blame the registrants for failing to register because the office itself is responsible for ensuring that there would be an efficient registration process that can accomodate as many voters as possible, he said, reacting to Comelec’s statement that failed registrants should accept their fate.

Palatino also said the agency should have also considered several factors that prevented the youth from registering: the calamaities struck the country this year, the series of holidays declared by the President, and the swine flu outbreak.

Citing National Statistics Office data, he said that the Comelec disenfranchised roughly four (4) million first-time-voters when it stopped accepting new registrants last Saturday.

NSO data shows that there are 3.8 million first-time-voters from age group 18 to 19 alone, while half of the 8.8 million in the age group 20 to 24 may be projected as new registrants for 2010. “Based from this data, we can roughly project at least seven (7) million first-time-voters for 2010.” ###

As youths and new registrants endure long lines to register for the 2010 polls, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino today questioned the legality of the Commission on Election’s shortening of the period of continuing registration up to tomorrow October 31.

Palatino today filed a Petition for Certiorari and Mandamus with Application for Preliminary Mandatory Injunction before the Supreme Court today. The full text of the petition may be read at http://tinyurl.com/yhyqwov.

Other petitioners were Jade Charmane Rose Valenzuela, Jacqueline Alexis Merced, Ana Katrina Tejero, Kenneth Carlisle Earl Eugenio and Victor Louis Crisostomo, all first-time-voters who tried but failed to register due various reasons; and Alvin Peters, president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), Vijae Alquisola, president of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), Ken Leonard Ramos, chairperson of Anakbayan, and, Ma. Cristina Angela Guevarra, chairperson of the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP).

The petitioners stated that the Comelec violated the people’s right to register and, thus, right of suffrage, when it issued and implemented Comelec Resolution No. 8585, dated February 12, 2009, fixing the deadline of application of registration of voters on October 31, 2009, more than two months earlier than is prescribed by Republic Act. No. 8189 or The Voters Registration Act of 1996.

Under RA 8189, the pertinent provision on the period of registration states, “No registration shall…be conducted during the period starting 120 days before a regular election and 90 days before a special election.”

Palatino also said that the Comelec has committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction for ‘usurping the legislative powers of Congress.’

“The Comelec, therefore, in its issuances and despite appeals by several sectors to extend voter registration has shortened the period contrary to what is mandated by law. Only Congress can amend the deadline of continuing registration, Comelec has no discretion nor power to do so,” he said.

Palatino also added that calls to extend voter registration are more reasonable, practical and justifiable in light of the recent onslaught of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, as well as the limited number of registrants Comelec offices can accommodate in a day and unavailability of satellite registration sites, among others.

Citing National Statistics Office data, he said that the Comelec will disenfranchise roughly four (4) million first-time-voters if it ends registration period tomorrow.

NSO data shows that there are 3.8 million first-time-voters from age group 18 to 19 alone, while half of the 8.8 million in the age group 20 to 24 may be projected as new registrants for 2010. “Based from this data, we can roughly project at least seven (7) million first-time-voters for 2010.”

Earlier, Palatino filed House Resolutions 1162, directing the Comelec to return the deadline for voter registration to its original deadline of December 2009; HR 1443, calling to extend voter registration for those affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng; and, HR 1336, calling for a one-day leave with pay for employees’ voter registration. ###