Comelec asks Guanzon to answer petition to cancel her party-list nomination

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has directed its former commissioner and now party-list Representative Rowena Guanzon to comment on a petition filed by National Youth Commission (NYC) Undersecretary Ronald Cardema to cancel her certificate of nomination as the representative of the P3PWD party-list.

The Comelec First Division told Guanzon to submit her answer “within a non-extensible period” of three days upon receipt of the order.

"Without giving due course to the Petition to Deny Due Course or Cancel certificate of Nomination with Prayer for Suspension of Proclamation filed on 27 June 2022, the Commission (First Division) hereby REQUIRES respondent to file her answer and/or comment to the Office of the Clerk of the Commission, via e-mail, within a non-extendible period of three calendar days from receipt . . ." the order read.

Acting Comelec chairperson Socorro Inting signed the order dated July 6, 2022.

Cardema earlier accused Guazon of forcing all nominees of the P3PWD party-list to resign so she can be a substitute. The retired poll official denied his allegations and challenged him to present the people whom she allegedly coerced, adding that a complaint should be lodged before the Comelec if the accusations are true.

Guanzon currently sits as the representative of the P3PWD after the Comelec en banc granted the request of her original designees of the party to withdraw.

Last June 29, the Supreme Court issued a decision temporarily stopping Comelec from enforcing its resolution that allowed Guanzon to substitute as number one nominee of P3PWD party-list.

The temporary restraining order (TRO), released by the high court enjoined the Comelec, the House of Representatives, and the party-list group to follow.

The decision stemmed from a petition filed by the Duterte Youth Party-List questioning the Comelec decision allowing the substitution.—LDF, GMA News