Comelec gives due course to Ronald Cardema substitution bid as Duterte Youth rep

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has given due course to former National Youth Commission chairman Ronald Cardema's bid to substitute as the Duterte Youth party-list group's first nominee and representative in the 18th Congress.

In a resolution shared by Comelec spokesman James Jimenez Tuesday, the poll body gave due course to the nomination of five new nominees, including Cardema, as substitutes to the original nominees who withdrew their nominations.

The substitution of Ronald Cardema as Duterte Youth nominee has been approved, with one Commissioner dissenting and one abstention. #NLE2019 pic.twitter.com/EvJVD6vtgk

— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) June 4, 2019

Commissioner Rowena Guanzon clarified that only the application for substitution was given due course.

"His substitution is not yet granted because there is a pending petition or opposition on the ground that he is over 30 years old and cannot be a rep of a youth sector party-list," Guanzon said on Twitter.

Re:Cardema Not the substitution but his application for substitution was given due course. His substitution is not yet granted because there is a pending petition or opposition on the ground that he us over 30 yrs old and cannot be a rep of a youth sector party list.

— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) June 4, 2019

Guanzon, who had earlier questioned Cardema's eligibility for the post given his age —33 at the time of the May 13 elections—was the lone dissenter in the Comelec's en banc resolution.

Chairman Sheriff Abas, Al Parreño, Marlon Casquejo, Socorro Inting, and Antonio Kho, Jr. voted in favor of the giving of due course. Commissioner Luie Tito Guia abstained.

The Comelec granted the withdrawals of Cardema's wife, Ducielle Marie Suarez; Joseph De Guzman, Benilda De Guzman, Arnaldo Villafranca, and Elizabeth Anne Cardema and gave due course to the nomination of the former NYC chair, Gian Carlo Galang, Catherine Santos, Kerwin Pagaran, and Sharah Shane Makabali as substitutes.

The nomination of Allan Kevin Payawal was denied because there were only five original nominees, the Comelec said.

The poll body directed the Duterte Youth party-list to publish its revised list of nominees in two newspapers of general nationwide circulation, shoulder the expense, and submit proof of publication.

In response, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said: "We do not intrude nor interfere into the proceedings of any branch of the government or any constitutional body." —NB, GMA News