Comelec removes Pialago's Malasakit party-list from Eleksyon 2022 ballot

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has excluded the Malasakit Movement party-list from the official ballot in Eleksyon 2022.

In a notice issued by the Office of the Clerk of the Commission (OCOC) on Tuesday, Malasakit was excluded in the final listing of party-list candidates due to the resolution of its “pending incident.”

“In performance of this mandate, the OCOC hereby notifies that party-list registrant Malasakit Movement Inc. (Malasakit Movement) has been excluded in the final listing of party-list candidates to appear in the ballot in connection with the May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections in view of the resolution of its pending incident,” the notice read.

Malasakit's first nominee is former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority spokesperson Celine Pialago.

Its other nominees include Mark Ryan Ponce, Eusebio Simbajon Avancena Jr., Natasha Supan Rodriguez, and Monroe Laurenze Dimaano.

The Comelec has skipped the number 96 ballot, which was initially assigned to the Malasakit Movement following a raffle.

The Malasakit Movement was included earlier among the 13 party-list groups which have pending incidents.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Malasakit Movement said they will avail of legal remedies as a result of their delistment.

"May mga legal na paraan pa po para makalaban sa darating na 2022 elections. Hahayaan ko na po ang aming legal team sa bagay na 'yan," it said.

(There are legal remedies for us to participate in the 2022 polls, and we leave it to our legal team.)

"Kapag mabuti ang hangarin, kapag tama ang pinaglalaban, lalaban. Lalaban po kami dahil hindi po ugali ng Team 96 ang sumuko," it added.

(When you have good intentions, and when you are fighting for what is right, then fight. We will fight because giving up is not in our book.)

The Malasakit Movement said the group is even currently distributing relief aid to victims of Typhoon Odette in Cebu.

"Ito po ay laban para maipagpatuloy ang pagmamalasakit at pagmamahal sa ating kapwa Pilipino," it said.

(This is a fight to continue the compassion and love for our fellow Filipinos.),

The Comelec has allowed 165 party-list groups to participate in the raffle on December 10, 2021 to determine their order of listing on the official ballot.

Voters are only allowed to choose one party-list group during the general elections on May 9, 2022. —With a report from Llanesca T. Panti/NB/KG, GMA News