Comelec junks disqualification petition vs. Makabayan Bloc, Colmenares

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) junked the disqualification petition against representatives of the party-lists comprising the House of Representatives' Makabayan Bloc.

In an eight-page resolution promulgated on January 30 but only made available to the media on Tuesday, the Comelec First Division dismissed the petition filed by a certain Angela Aguilar against the party-lists Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Kabataan, ACT-Teachers, and Gabriela, as well as against Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares.

Aguilar, who claimed to be the current secretary-general of Kababaihang Maralita, had asked the Comelec to cancel the registration of the respondent party-lists with the commission as they "advocate violence or unlawful means to seek their goal," and that they "violate or fail to comply with the laws, rules or regulations relating to elections."

She also argued that the party-lists were "strongly aligned" with the communist New People's Army and that they were plotting to overthrow the current administration, citing as evidence their campaign posters which contained subversive statements like "Oust D30," "Patalsikin si D30 Abusado," among others.

Aguilar also wanted Colmenares to be disqualified from running as senator in the 2019 elections.

"The Commission (First Division) is not convinced that Petitioner (Aguilar) was able to discharge her burden of proof sufficient to cancel the registration of Party-list Respondents or the disqualification of Respondent Colmenares," the commission said in its resolution.

It pointed out that Aguilar and her counsel did not even appear during their scheduled hearing on May 28, 2019, and she could not be located at her given address.

"For failure of Petitioner to appear before this Commission in order to substantiate her claims during the hearing, or at least to pre-mark the pieces of evidence she attached to the Petition, the Commission (First Division) cannot consider and give any probative value thereto," the Comelec said.

"For want of evidence, Petitioner's claim that grounds exist to warrant cancellation of Party-list Respondents' registration in the Party-list System and the disqualification of Respondent Colmenares has no leg to stand on," it added.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate viewed Aguilar's petition as purely harassment and part of the vilification campaign against the progressive Makabayan Bloc.

"Talagang pakana lang ito ng mga gusto siraan lalong-lalo na sa security sector ang Makabayan Bloc," he said.

"The fact na hindi siya ma-trace doon sa address na kanyang binigay, hindi sila sumipot sa hearing including her lawyer, badges of fraud talaga yun and just to misinform and mislead our public and just to vilify the members of the Makabayan Bloc," he added.

Zarate vowed that they would initiate counter-charges against Aguilar and those who were behind the petition. — Erwin Colcol/DVM, GMA News