House party-list bloc takes in Cardema as member

Even without the final decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), an organization of party-list lawmakers at the House of Representatives has accepted former National Youth Commission chair Ronald Cardema as its member, representing the Duterte Youth party-list.

Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. (PCFI) president 1-PACMAN party-list Representative Michael Romero made the disclosure on Thursday at the sidelines of their meeting with Speaker aspirants for the next Congress.

"We already accepted the membership of Cong. Cardema as member of the PCFI. So we recognize him as a congressman already," Romero told reporters in an ambush interview.

Cardema himself attended the meeting of the PCFI, which was held in order for the party-list lawmakers to talk to aspiring Speakers of the House.

However, he did not entertain questions from the media.

Members of the Party-list Coalition of the House of Representatives meet with the aspirants for the speakership in the 18th Congress. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/nGTaqiaCtk

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) May 23, 2019

The Comelec, sitting as National Board of Canvassers, has already proclaimed the Duterte Youth party-list as a winning party-list in the 2019 midterm elections.

But Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said the poll body has yet to make a ruling on Cardema's substitution bid.

For Romero, however, Cardema's case is better resolved at the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal.

"I think the Comelec has already proclaimed him. So it's out of the jurisdiction of Comelec. And we will also have our representation sa HRET. So sa HRET na lang siguro yung complaint, whoever will complain," he said. —LDF, GMA News