Comelec en banc upholds PBBM Party-list disqualification from Eleksyon 2025

The Commission on Elections en banc has affirmed a ruling disqualifying and cancelling the registration of Pilipinas Babangon Muli (PBBM) Party-list for Eleksyon 2025 over alleged misrepresentation.

In a ten-page decision, the poll body en banc denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the PBBM Party-list against a ruling of the Comelec Second Division, which granted the petition of lawyer Jess Christian Ramirez to cancel their registration for allegedly misrepresenting themselves as a regional party representing Calabarzon while fielding nominees outside the region.

“Wherefore premises considered, the Commission resolved, as it hereby resolves, to deny the motion for reconsideration of Pilipinas Babangon Muli (PBBM) dated 28 April 2025. The Resolution of the Commission (Second Division) dated April 23, 2025 is hereby affirmed,” the decision read.

The poll body en banc agreed the PBBM Party-list made untruthful statements in their petition for registration when they fielded nominees from Abra, Cagayan, and Quezon City despite declaring themselves as a regional party. 

It said the group also violated the requirement for regional parties when they accepted and fielded nominees and members outside of Calabarzon Region.

The top ten nominees of the PBBM Party-list are: Ma. Cecilia Badajos (Abra), Thomas Dominic Baluga (Cagayan), Karen Acosta (Abra), Elena Badajos (Abra), Iana Alexis Garcia (Quezon City), Francis Carl Acosta (Abra), Jerald Dao (Abra), Alejandro Badajos (Abra), Henrietta Francesca Acosta (Abra), and Marc Dan Acosta (Abra).

GMA News Online reached out to PBBM Party-list for comment but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

The party-list, however, earlier said its oral submissions for the petition that residency in Region IV-A was not a requirement for membership in its party-list under its Constitution and by-laws.

The Comelec Second Division said this “categorical admission directly negates the very foundation upon which its registration as a regional political party was approved”. It also constitutes an untruthful statement in its petition for registration.

“En banc decision na po yan. Nangangahulugan po na as far as the en banc is concerned, tama ang decision na nagkaroon ng misrepresentation ang naturang party-list sapagkat lumalabas na ang kanilang nominees, officers ay di nanggaling sa mismong rehiyon na nire-represent nila,” said Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia in a press forum in Manila. 

(This is an en banc decision. This means as far as the en banc is concerned, the ruling of the Second Division is correct. The party-list committed misrepresentation when they accredited and fielded nominees and members outside of the region they want to represent.)

Garcia said the PBBM party list may file a motion for reconsideration (MR) with the Supreme Court (SC) against the Comelec en banc decision. 

“Ang proclamation ng partylist ay baka abutin pa ng isang buong linggo…Kung hindi pa makakauha ng TRO ang party-list, malamang-lamang magiging final and executory ang decision ng Comelec en banc,” he added. 

(The proclamation of party-lists take at least a week. If they won’t be able to secure a temporary restraining order then the decision will be final and executory.) —AOL/RF, GMA Integrated News

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