By Ferdinand Patinio/PNA
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set a Dec. 5 raffle to determine the order of the listing of party-list groups, organizations or coalitions on the official ballots for the 2019 national and local polls.
Those whose registrations are final and were able to file their Manifestations of Intent to Participate in the Party-List Elections on or before May 2, 2018 will be included in the raffle, read a Comelec statement issued on Friday.
“Pursuant to Comelec Resolution No. 10448, the automated raffle will be on Dec. 5, 2018, 10 a.m. at the 8th floor of Comelec Main Office in Intramuros, Manila,” the statement added.
Likewise, raffle participants will be composed of existing party-list groups, organizations or coalitions – whose registration and accreditation were cancelled by the Commission but were able to secure a status quo ante order from the Supreme Court (SC).
The poll body noted that also included are those whose Petitions for Registration were denied by the Commission but were able to secure a mandatory injunction from the SC.
The draw will also include those whose registration and accreditation are still pending with the Commission by raffle date, as well as those whose Petitions for Registration were denied by the Commission but have pending Motions for Reconsideration as of raffle date.
“Party-list groups, organizations or coalitions who fail or neglect to send a representative with a written authority under oath during the raffle shall be considered to have waived their right to participate,” the poll body added.
Earlier, the Comelec released the tentative list of party-list bets with 124 duly-registered groups, 33 with pending motions for reconsideration, five with pending petitions for registration, and 23 others.
In the 2013 elections, the poll body implemented the raffle system to determine the order of listing of party-list groups in the official ballots.
The system was adopted to avoid party-list groups from jostling for names that start with the first letter of the alphabet or number since the list used to be alphabetized.
