By Ferdinand G. Patinio
MANILA, Aug. 21 (PNA) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has come up with guidelines on how to determine political parties that will be accredited as dominant majority and dominant minority in the May 2016 national and local polls.
With this, the poll body will be ready to accept the petition for the dominant majority party, dominant minority party, 10 major national parties, and two major local parties in next year’s elections.
“A political party duly registered with the Commission may file a verified petition for accreditation,” said Comelec Resolution No. 9984, dated Aug. 18.
The Comelec said the criteria to be used will be based on the established record of the said parties, coalition or groups, that now compose them, taking into account, among other things, their showing in past elections; the number of incumbent elective officials belonging to them on the last day of the filing of Certificate of Candidacy;
Their identifiable political organizations and strengths as evidenced by their organized chapters; the ability to field a complete slate of candidates from the municipal level to the position of the President; and other analogous circumstances that may determine their relative organizations and strengths.
The dominant majority party and dominant minority party shall be entitled to get copies of election returns (ERs) to be produced by the voting machines, receive electronically-transmitted precinct results, get the copies of the Certificates of Canvass (COCs), and assign official watchers in every polling places and canvassing centers.
On the other hand, the 10 major national parties will be entitled to get copies of ERs and COCs, and official watchers; while copies of ERs and COCs shall also be allocated to the two major local parties.
The resolution added the petition should be filed not later than Nov. 9 at the Clerk of the Commission along with a filing and legal research fee of Php 10,100.
In the May 2013 elections, the Liberal Party (LP) was declared as the dominant majority party while the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) was ruled as the dominant minority party.
Only four were designated as major national parties, they are: Nacionalista Party (NP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (LAKAS-CMD), and National Unity Party (NUP).
The poll body also accredited six major local parties, which are Kusog Baryuhanon for the Province of Davao del Norte; Kapanalig at Kambilan Ning Memalen Pampanga (KAMBILAN) for the Province of Pampanga; United Negros Alliance (UNA) for the Province of Negros Occidental; Hugpong Sa Tawong Lungsod (HUGPONG) for Davao City; Partido Abe Kapampangan (PAK) for Angeles City; and Arangkada San Joseno Political Party (Arangkada) for San Jose Del Monte City. (PNA)