Comelec revokes Batas party-list accreditation

The Commission on Elections has revoked the accreditation of Batas (Bagong Alyansang Tagapagtaguyod ng Adhikaing Sambayanan) party-list for allegedly using the facilities and resources of Ang Dating Daan (ADD) in its campaign during the May 14 polls. In a 22-page resolution, the poll body’s second division voted 2-1 in granting the petition of Nathan Macute, a registered voter of Sitio Roque, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, who said the party-list group is a mere extension of the religious organization. During the May 14 polls, Batas was able to get 2.42 percent of the total votes cast for the party list which entitled it to one seat at the House of Representatives. The proclamation, however, was stalled by Macute’s petition. Under the Omnibus Election Code, the poll body may remove or cancel the registration of any national, regional or sectoral party, organization or coalition if it is a religious sect or denomination, organization or association organized for religious purposes. The second division found the party guilty of using ADD facilities and resources to campaign in the May 14 elections. It added that the group’s first nominee and ADD’s vice presiding minister, Daniel Razon, used his position as an ADD preacher to campaign for the party. However, in his four-page dissenting opinion, Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said the evidence that were presented were not enough to prove that Batas was a mere extension of the ADD. Sarmiento added that the issue might have just stemmed from the fact that Razon is an official of both organizations but that it failed to prove anything. "To conclude, however, that the convergence of the two organizations into the person of Razon makes ADD and Batas one and the same entity or makes Batas an adjunct of ADD defies the rules of law and logic," Sarmiento said. The other members of the second division are Commissioners Florentino Tuason and Nicodemo Ferrer. GMANews.TV tried to reach Razon for comments, but Elit Tan, administrative head of UNTV station, said the former was not in his office. Razon is chairman and chief executive officer of Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International Inc. that operates and markets UNTV. The Comelec 2nd division's decision can be appealed before the Comelec en banc. - GMANews.TV