THE PHTLIPPtNE STAR !
neltr'|s ] ruunsoav r vay
Comelec accepts
Cardema petition
on substitution
By JESS DIAZ
The Commission on Elections (Come-
lec) has accepted the petition of National
Youth Commision (NiYC) chairman Ron-
ald Cardema to substitute as a nominee
of Duterte Youth party list.
Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said
this does not necessarily mean that Car-
dema is qualified to sit is nominee.
"The issue here is whether ot \ot na-
kahabol siya sa substitution. Before elec-
non, nakapaghain na sila." Abas said jn a
chance interview, saying the petition was
filed before election dav-
Abas said they have'not yet discussed
Cardema's eligibiliry to sit in Congress
as partylist nominee, and whether or
not he had resigned from the NYC before
fiting his petition.
"Ifs rnore on nomination and substi-
!utio_1 lhe issue on eligibility may be
handled by the House olReprisentative
Electoral Tribunal" Abas sai'd.
It was not immediatelv tlear if Car-
dema could sit in Congress'while the issue
is being resolved.
'Gatecrasher'
_ Cardema drew criticisms and jeers
from party-list lawmakers yesterday for
aitending their organizational meeting
on Tuesday night.
"He is too prcsumptuous. He had the
gall to gatecrash our get-together when
he is nol even a nominee of his partyJist
group," one incumbent repreientitive
whose organization has won at least one
seatin the House o{ Representatives said.
Another attendee said Cardema be-
came the butt of jokes.
"Here comes the mosl controversial
reprcsentative wannabe of the most con-
troversial party-list group," he said he
heard another lawmaker introduce Lhe
ex-youth comrnission chief as he walked
int6 the meeting room.
Cardema hai asked the Comelec to
replace his wi{e Ducielle Marie as incom-
ing representative of Duterte.Youth in the
\ PAq.e
zs, zor'g
House.
Ducielle Marie is a member o{ the
staff of Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay, who
belongs to'the House minority bloc.
She briefly showed up at yesterday's
minority news conference bul she avoided
reporters.
About 40 incumbent pafty-list lawmak-
ers and sure winners attended Tuesdav
nighl's meetjng at a Quezon City hotel.'
They grouped themselves to be a force
to rerkon with in th_e speakership fight in
the House and in the chamber's reorga-
nization.
Most of those attendees want Rep. Mi-
kee Romero of 1-Pacrnan to be their leader.
According to the Comeleq 61 party-list
rcprcsentatives will sit in the House i'n the
insombg 18th Congress. Romero's 1-Pac-
man mighl have won two seats based on
the number of votes it received.
The Comelec has yet to rule on Car-
dema's petition to substitute for his wife.
But even before the commission could
make a ruling, the ex-youth commission
chief has updated his Facebook profile to
indicate he is an "incoming congressman."
According to an incoming party-list
representative,-Cardema is disqualifi ed
to represent the youth sector under
Republic Act 7941, or the Party-list Act
of 1995.
"He is overage. Under the law, a party-
lisl nominee for the vouth sector shouid
not be more than 30 years old. Cardema
is 33 or 35. Even at 3Q one is too old to
reprcsent the youth," he said.
Following Cardema's petition, presi-
dential spokesman Salvador Panelo said
the congressman wamabe has effectively
resigned as NYC chief when he opted to
hold another office.
Malacaiane has ordered the Deoart-
ment of Justic"e to look into whethei the
former official violated any law in opting
to be a nominee of his partyJist group.
Abas yesterday admitted that there is a
need to amend the paityJist law. - With
Cecille Suerte Felipe, Sheila Crisostomo
-r4 "