'Baliw ba kayo?' Duterte Youth threatens lawsuit over disqualification plea

MANILA - “Baliw ba kayo? Ikatlong eleksyon na namin ito.” (Are you insane? This is already our third election.) 

This is how Duterte Youth party-list former nominee Ronald Cardema answered a petition filed by youth group Kabataan Tayo ang Pagasa urging the Commission on Elections to act on its previous pleading to disqualify Duterte Youth.

Speaking before the Kamuning Bakery Cafe forum, Cardema denied allegations Duterte Youth is not registered with Comelec. He said he plans to sue some Kabataan members for "malicious statements" saying Duterte Youth is a fake party-list and that he has no plans to serve the youth sector.

“Una, kung hindi kami rehistrado, wala kami sa balota…Kaya lang nagwawala ang Kabataan kasi mataas kami sa survey. Hao shao ang mga allegations, kayang sagutin ng hindi abogado,” he said, referring to the latest Social Weather Stations survey on party-list candidates.

4Ps, Duterte Youth top party-list picks in March: SWS

He noted the Supreme Court had already dismissed a petition questioning the Comelec ruling that allowed his wife, Ducielle Cardema, to replace him as Duterte Youth’s first nominee. This, after Comelec's First Division canceled Cardema’s nomination, saying he is not qualified to be a party-list nominee of the youth sector.

Cardema, a former chairman of the National Youth Commission, said the group is the only party-list that sought a return of capital punishment for rapists, drug lords and corrupt politicians. 

A closer look at the 'Duterte Youth'

A known supporter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, he urged supporters to continue the clamor to return the former president to the Philippines after he was brought to The Hague, The Netherlands to face a crimes against humanity complaint before the International Criminal Court.

CANCEL REGISTRATION

Members of Kabataan marched in front of the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila earlier this week before filing its urgent motion to resolve its petition filed in September 3, 2019 to cancel the registration of Duterte Youth and declare its registration null and void.

“Dapat ang ating mga kumakandidato ngayon, respetuhin ang election process sapagkat hindi po mockery ang election process. Ito po ay pag-uphold ng democratic right ng mga kabataan at mamamayan. At ang ginagawa ng Duterte Youth ay binubusabos niya, mina-mock niya ang karapatan ng mamamayang Pilipino bilang hindi lehitimong representasyon ng mga kabataan sa Kongreso,” KTAP national convenor Brell Lacerna said. 


One of the original petitioners, Ross Angcos, explained Ronald Cardema’s disqualification as the first nominee of Duterte Youth’s representatives is not enough, saying the commission should act on its petition to disqualify.

“Gusto naming ipa-disqualify ang buong Duterte Youth Party-list. Ang reason nito behind is yung material misrepresentation na nagsinungaling ang Duterte Youth Party-list sa sworn statement na si Ronald Cardema ay legitimate representative ng kabataan - that time siya ay overaged na,” Angcos said.

The petitioner believes the accreditation of Duterte Youth as a party-list group is not valid from the very beginning.

In an interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the commission will definitely resolve all the pending disqualification petitions before the poll body.

“Kaagad na natin itong pinare-resolve. Nagkausap naman 'yung mga miyembro ng dibisyon at nagsabi sila na kinakailangan i-rush yung mismong pag-draft ng resolution upang kaagad na ma-promulgate, kasama na yan - 'yung sa Duterte Youth,” he said.

Garcia believes, because there is a pending petition, the commission remains to have jurisdiction over Duterte Youth.

According to Garcia, it took them a while to decide on the case because of the retirement of some of its members.

“Dito kasi sa Comelec, nagbabago ang composition at miyembro ng en banc and therefore, kapag nakapag-retire na hindi natatapos yung kaso, yan ay muling ira-raffle sa panibagong commissioners,” he explained .

The poll chief promised to resolved all pending disqualification cases before the May 12 midterm polls.

“Again, my commitment is…even the 2024 cases patungo sa 2025 cases, ire-resolve namin before ng Mayo a-dose…pati yang Duterte Youth ire-resolve natin,” Garcia promised.