By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
By its admission, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said over the weekend that it is so deluged with petitions and motions that it cannot guaranty a speedy issuance of resolutions. It is not so much that commissioners are taking their sweet time on these cases, but that on top of procedural back-and-forths, other deadlines need to be met.
In fact, last Friday’s scheduled raffle to determine the order of 165 party-list groups in the official ballot did not push through. Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said it had to be rescheduled for today (Dec. 14) because of the “pending incidents” with at least 13 party-list groups.
It’s sad to point out that not included in these “pending incidents” is the motion for reconsideration filed by Nurses United party list, whose denial of registration has already been ruled with finality by the poll body.
While it might be too late and moot to publicly argue the legitimacy of this political group borne out of the 150,000-strong Filipino Nurses United (established in 2009), what’s clear is that it is not a nuisance organization. By the mere submission of copies of PRC licenses by its officers and members, Nurses United must have already satisfied the doubt outlined in the Comelec’s ruling to dismiss its registration.
But no, our distinguished commissioners of the Comelec chose to turn down the group that has brought to light the plight of nurses and other medical workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, they, who represent the marginalized sector of those whom the government has heralded as the “bagong bayani” (new heroes) of these uncertain times, will have no chance of gaining representation in the next Congress.
Why else is this situation not frustrating for our health care workers, hundreds of thousands of whom remain unpaid of their 2020 allowances? And on Election Day, they shall see among the list of party-list groups – not the one that bears their voice – but the likes of AGIMAT party-list of the Revilla family or MOCHA party list of Mocha Uson.
I dread to aim and shoot at this point, but it begs you to ask what drove the Comelec to determine the legitimacy of AGIMAT – the presentation of an amulet or silver bullet or tree bark necklace? And how about MOCHA, which stands for Mothers for Change and whose first-ballot representatives are Uson and volleybelle Michele Gumabao. Are they even mothers?
Amid the hard deadlines facing the Comelec, let it be emphasized that the voting public is counting on it to make sound decisions, especially in asserting which sectoral groups make it to the final list. Therefore, a delay on the part of commissioners due to processes and due diligence is understandable, but indiscretion might be unforgivable.
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