Comelec names LP dominant majority, UNA dominant minority in May 13 polls

(Updated 6:06 p.m.) The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has named the administration’s Liberal Party (LP) the dominant majority party for the May 13 elections and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) the dominant minority party. In an interview with reporters Tuesday, poll chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the Comelec en banc debated which political party should be considered dominant as the Nacionalista Party (NP) scored higher than UNA. As NP did not apply to become a dominant party, the slot was given to UNA. “Nagkaroon lang kami nang kaunting debate kasi based on the computed ratings lumalabas na mas mataas pa yung NP kesa sa UNA. The only problem is NP did not apply for dominant so ang kinonsider namin na applicants will be LP, UNA and Lakas-CMD, sila ang nag-apply,” said Brillantes. The Comelec determined the dominant parties based on:

• established record of the said parties, coalition, of groups that now composed them, taking into account, among other things, their showing in past elections;
• the number of incumbent elective officials belonging to them 90 days before the date of election;
• their identifiable political organizations and strengths as evidenced by their organized chapters;
• the ability to fill a complete slate of candidates from the municipal level to the position of the President (Senators); and
• other analogous circumstances that may determine their relative organizations and strengths.

Brillantes further said that there would have been a problem if NP had been declared a dominant party as it is allied with LP. “NP would have been the second in the ranking but that would still be an issue dahil magksama sila ng LP, hindi naman maganda na silang dalawa ang dominant majority at minority,” he said. The poll chairman said dominant majority and minority parties are entitled to copies of election returns. Under Republic Act No. 9369 or the Poll Automation Law, LP and UNA will be receiving the fifth and sixth copies of the election returns and the seventh and eighth copies of the certificates of canvass, respectively, and the electronically transmitted results from all election machines. Brillantes, however, pointed out that being a dominant party under the automated election system is not as interesting anymore as when the polls were still conducted manually. “Under the old system, sa manual, there are only seven copies of election returns, the dominant parties get two copies (one copy each). Malaking bagay yun,” he said. The Comelec also declared NP, the Nationalist People’s Coalition and the National Unity Party and Lakas-CMD "major parties" for the May 13 polls. The parties accredited by the poll body will be given copies of the election returns and certificate of canvass based on Section 19 and Section 21 of RA 9369. Also, Section 26 of RA 7166 or Synchronized National and Local Elections and Electoral Reforms Act states that the dominant majority party and dominant minority party shall each be entitled to one official watcher who shall be paid a fixed per diem of P400. “There shall also be recognized six principal watchers, representing the six accredited major political parties excluding the dominant majority and minority parties, who shall be designated by the Commission upon nomination of the said parties,” the provision further states. The Comelec has yet to release a copy of its resolution on the matter. — BM, GMA News