Cardema, disqualified na -- Comelec

Pinagtibay ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) ang naunang desisyon nito na nagsasaad na hindi kuwalipikado si dating Youth Commissioner Ronald Cardema upang maupo bilang kinatawan ng Duterte Youth party-list group sa House of Representatives dahil sa pagiging overaged nito.

Sa 9-pahinang resolusyong aprubado ng Comelec en banc noong Pebrero 5, ngunit inilabas lamang kahapon, kinatigan nito ang desisyong inilabas ng Comelec First Division noong Agosto 5, 2019 na nagkakansela sa nominasyon ni Cardema bilang kinatawan ng naturang youth partylist.

Sa nasabing resolusyon, tinanggap na rin ng en banc ang motion to withdraw ni Cardema sa kanyang motion for reconsideration (MR) na humihiling na mabaligtad ang ginawang pagkansela sa kanyang pagiging first nominee ng Duterte Youth.

“Respondent, by his own voluntary act of withdrawing as the nominee of Duterte Youth, has finally accepted the decision of this Commission (First Division) that he is not eligible as a nominee of Duterte Youth, which decision is now final and executory,” bahagi ng resolusyon.

“Wherefore, premises concerned, the Commission En Banc affirms the Resolution dated 05 August 2019 of the Commission (First Division) and resolves to grant the motion to withdraw (Verified Motion for Reconsideration filed on August 13, 2019). The resolution dated 05 August 2019 of the Commission (First Division) is now final and executory,” anito pa.

“With the categorical finding that Duterte Youth represents the youth, we find that indeed, Respondent (Cardema) is not eligible to represent the youth sector,” dagdag pa n ito.

Sa kanilang desisyon, ipinunto ng en banc ang isinasaad sa Party-List Law na ang itinatakdang edad para sa kinatawan ng mga kabataan sa Kongreso ay dapat na nasa maximum age na 30taong gulang lamang sa mismong araw ng eleksiyon.

Matatandaang si Cardema ay 34taong gulang na nang isagawa ang May 2019 polls.