Duterte Youth loses bid for three House seats

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reaffirmed in finality its decision to cancel the registration of the Duterte Youth Party-list, effectively leaving three seats in the 20th Congress up for grabs.

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In this Aug. 17, 2019 photo, Duterte Youth party-list group's Ronald Cardema holds a press conference in Quezon City where he accused Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon of "playing victim."

(The STAR / Boy Santos)

In its September 30 ruling made public on October 1, the Comelec en banc affirmed that Duterte Youth's registration was invalid from the beginning for failing to publish its petition and hearing notice, a responsibility of the party-list rather than the poll body.

Beyond the jurisdictional requirement, the poll body also cited six grounds to cancel Duterte Youth's registration.