20-05-2025
Duterte Youth seeks TRO vs. Comelec suspension of proclamation
Duterte Youth party-list chairman Ronald Cardema on Tuesday filed a petition seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) suspension of the former's proclamation.
"Sa tingin po natin, merong grave abuse of discretion ang Comelec kahapon. Sinabihan lang kami na hindi kami kasama sa proclamation tanghali bago mag-proclamation mismo," Cardema said in an ambush interview.
(We believe there was grave abuse of discretion by the Comelec yesterday. We were only informed that we were not included in the proclamation at noon, just before the proclamation ceremony itself.)
"Kung sinabi nila last week 'yun, eh di nagawan namin ng paraan pero parang sinadya na talagang tatlo, apat na oras bago 'yung proclamation at saka kayo magsasabi," he added.
(If they had told us last week, we could have done something about it, but it seems like it was intentional to inform us just three or four hours before the proclamation.)
The Duterte Youth party-list garnered 2.3 million votes during the 2025 midterm polls, ranking second.
However, the Comelec suspended Monday the proclamation of Duterte Youth and Bagong Henerasyon, citing pending cases filed against them before the poll body.
Cardema said the case being referred to was already filed in 2019.
"Una, masabi ko sa inyo, existing na 'yung hao siao na kaso na yun, nu'ng 2019 pa, pero binigyan tayo ng proclamation for the 2019 election. Nu'ng 2022, existing pa rin 'yung 2019 na kaso na 'yun, pero pinasali tayo at binigyan tayo ng proclamation," he said.
(First, let me tell you, that bogus case has existed since 2019, but we were still given a proclamation for the 2019 election. In 2022, that 2019 case still existed, but we were allowed to participate and were given a proclamation.)
"Bakit ngayon, kung kailan tayo ang nasa taas, tayo ay magkakaroon ng three seats, bakit biglang sasabihin very serious 'yung mga kaso na 'yun?" he added.
(Why now, when we are on top and about to get three seats, why are they suddenly saying that those cases are very serious?)
The respondents in the petition are Comelec and the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC).
GMA News Online has sought comment from the poll body but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.
Earlier, SC spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting said petitions seeking the issuance of TROs are considered urgent.
"If your petition includes a prayer for TRO, that's considered urgent. So that's immediately raffled and it will be up to the member in charge to recommend if they will grant or not grant the TRO," she said in a separate interview. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
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