BY BERNICE CAMILLE V. BAUZON Reporter ( The Manila Times )
Link: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/15348-minority-tag-looms-for-lakas
Defections of members of the administration party Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) could lead to the ruling coalition losing its claim to dominant majority party status in the May 10 elections, a high-ranking official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Thursday.
But according to Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, they still would look into political developments within political parties to determine which party should be declared as the dominant majority party and as the dominant minority party in next month’s polls.
He said that it would not matter if only Lakas-Kampi CMD was the only one to apply for the dominant majority party status.
Sarmiento added that the poll body could go around and declare another party as the dominant one.
According to Republic Act 9369, or the poll automation law, the fifth copy of election returns should be given to the dominant majority party and the sixth copy, to the dominant minority party. Apparently, getting the fifth copy, not the sixth one, is preferred.
The automation law also provides that the dominant majority and dominant minority parties should be given access to Comelec servers during the May 10 elections and their watchers access to voting precincts nationwide. Also apparently, such access to the servers and the precincts differ in degrees, thus, the dominant majority party and the dominant minority party putting up a fight on which should be dominant majority or dominant minority.
The Liberal Party (LP) and the recently approved merger of the Nacionalista Party and Nationalist People’s Coalition are vying for dominant majority party status.
No guarantee
Sarmiento said that being the administration party does not guarantee dominant majority party status for Lakas-Kampi CMD.
In choosing the dominant majority party, the Comelec would also look into the number of candidates being fielded for public office by applicants, the number of the applicants’ incumbent officials and their track record.
The Comelec’s Election Records and Statistics Department, which is headed by Director Ester Villaflor, will be the one to evaluate the parties that are applying for dominant majority and dominant minority status.
Sarmiento said that the poll body was looking at issuing a resolution next week naming the dominant majority party and the dominant minority party.
Also on Thursday, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya said that he was not about to also bolt Lakas-Kampi CMD, which on Wednesday saw party stalwart and Gov. Jose “Joey” Salceda of Albay defecting to the LP.
He added that he was sticking it out with administration standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro and the ruling coalition.
Andaya, Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and other Cabinet members were rumored to be planning to abandon Lakas-Kampi CMD to join the camp of LP standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd or that of Nacionalista Party candidate Sen. Manuel “ Manny” Villar Jr.
But he administration party’s secretary general, Raymundo Roquero, was quick to deny the rumors, describing them as “pure black propaganda waged by our opponents.”
Malacañang also on Thursday belittled Salceda’s defection, a “zero” loss for the administration. The bolting of the Albay governor, according to the campaign manager of Lakas-Kampi CMD, did not even dent the party armor.
Besides, Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. said, Salceda’s defection and those of a few others were not a mass exodus.
He added that they expected a 10-percent defection rate but that they had experienced a 2-percent defection rate. He did not elaborate.
With reports from James Konstantin Galvez and Jowell Miguel T. Reodica
Link: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/15348-minority-tag-looms-for-lakas
Defections of members of the administration party Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) could lead to the ruling coalition losing its claim to dominant majority party status in the May 10 elections, a high-ranking official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Thursday.
But according to Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, they still would look into political developments within political parties to determine which party should be declared as the dominant majority party and as the dominant minority party in next month’s polls.
He said that it would not matter if only Lakas-Kampi CMD was the only one to apply for the dominant majority party status.
Sarmiento added that the poll body could go around and declare another party as the dominant one.
According to Republic Act 9369, or the poll automation law, the fifth copy of election returns should be given to the dominant majority party and the sixth copy, to the dominant minority party. Apparently, getting the fifth copy, not the sixth one, is preferred.
The automation law also provides that the dominant majority and dominant minority parties should be given access to Comelec servers during the May 10 elections and their watchers access to voting precincts nationwide. Also apparently, such access to the servers and the precincts differ in degrees, thus, the dominant majority party and the dominant minority party putting up a fight on which should be dominant majority or dominant minority.
The Liberal Party (LP) and the recently approved merger of the Nacionalista Party and Nationalist People’s Coalition are vying for dominant majority party status.
No guarantee
Sarmiento said that being the administration party does not guarantee dominant majority party status for Lakas-Kampi CMD.
In choosing the dominant majority party, the Comelec would also look into the number of candidates being fielded for public office by applicants, the number of the applicants’ incumbent officials and their track record.
The Comelec’s Election Records and Statistics Department, which is headed by Director Ester Villaflor, will be the one to evaluate the parties that are applying for dominant majority and dominant minority status.
Sarmiento said that the poll body was looking at issuing a resolution next week naming the dominant majority party and the dominant minority party.
Also on Thursday, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya said that he was not about to also bolt Lakas-Kampi CMD, which on Wednesday saw party stalwart and Gov. Jose “Joey” Salceda of Albay defecting to the LP.
He added that he was sticking it out with administration standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro and the ruling coalition.
Andaya, Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and other Cabinet members were rumored to be planning to abandon Lakas-Kampi CMD to join the camp of LP standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd or that of Nacionalista Party candidate Sen. Manuel “ Manny” Villar Jr.
But he administration party’s secretary general, Raymundo Roquero, was quick to deny the rumors, describing them as “pure black propaganda waged by our opponents.”
Malacañang also on Thursday belittled Salceda’s defection, a “zero” loss for the administration. The bolting of the Albay governor, according to the campaign manager of Lakas-Kampi CMD, did not even dent the party armor.
Besides, Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. said, Salceda’s defection and those of a few others were not a mass exodus.
He added that they expected a 10-percent defection rate but that they had experienced a 2-percent defection rate. He did not elaborate.
With reports from James Konstantin Galvez and Jowell Miguel T. Reodica
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