Comelec chief on fate of Duterte Youth’s seats: ‘Premature at this point’

June 18, 2025 , 07:16 PM

By Clarist Mae Zablan

(June 18, 2025) – After the Commission on Elections (Comelec) canceled Duterte Youth’s party-list registration, the head of the poll body on Wednesday said that it is still too early to tell what will happen to their seats in the House of Representatives.

ALSO READ: Comelec division cancels Duterte Youth Party-list registration

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia noted that after the Comelec revoked An Waray’s party-list registration last year, the poll body proclaimed the party-list group that was initially just one place short of entering the winning circle in the 2022 elections — namely, Akbayan.

As for whether the same could happen in the case of the Duterte Youth, Garcia said that it is still too “premature” to say for sure.

“Laging tinatanong sa atin: ‘Chairman, ano ang effect kapagka nagkaroon ng cancellation, halimbawa, ng isang party-list?’ Well, katulad po ng binanggit kanina, at ‘yung sa kaso po ng An Waray, ang pinapaupo namin ay ‘yung party-list na next doon sa pinakahuli-hulihan,” Garcia said on One News’ Storycon.

“Hindi ko po sinasabing ganiyan ang mangyayari kung sakali, because napaka-presumptuous at saka napaka-premature at this point.”

The Comelec proclaimed 52 party-list groups in the 2025 midterm elections. Of the party-list groups that did not make the cut, Gabriela, Abono, and Ang Probinsyano were the three that had the next highest votes based on the official results.

Duterte Youth, which garnered enough votes for the maximum three seats this year, had its proclamation suspended by the Comelec due to its pending election cases.

The recently-resolved case stemmed from a petition filed by four youth leaders in 2019, who argued, among others, that Duterte Youth’s registration should be rendered void because it did not comply with the requirement to publish its petition for registration.

The decision could still be appealed to the Comelec en banc.

Garcia noted that a number of election cases have stalled for years — including the cancellation case against An Waray, which had also been pending since 2019 until last year.

He vowed for these election cases to be speedily resolved under his leadership.

“Yan po ‘yung commitment natin… Sa atin pong present leadership ay mamadaliin naman po natin ‘yang mga ganiyang klaseng kaso, upang walang agam-agam sa kung dapat bang makaupo o hindi dapat makaupo ‘yung party-list na binabanggit po natin,” said Garcia.

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