MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has named the dominant majority party and dominant minority party in the May 9 polls.
According to Comelec Resolution No. 10787, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) was declared as the dominant majority party while the Nacionalista Party (NP) is the dominant minority party.
"The Commission on Elections, by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code, and other pertinent election laws, resolves to promulgate the criteria and evaluation process for the accreditation of the dominant majority party, dominant minority party, 10 major national parties," it said in its decision on May 4.
Those that were considered as the 10 major political parties are the Liberal Party (LP), Aksyon Demokratiko (Aksyon), Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Lakas-Christian Muslim Demokrats (Lakas-CMD), Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma (PDR), the National Unity Party (NUP), Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Akbayan Citizens Action Party (Akbayan), and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
The decision was released even as the Comelec has yet to rule on the rift between the two groups of PDP-Laban.
Earlier, the factions of PDP-Laban president Alfonso Cusi and chairman Koko Pimentel III had filed separate petitions for accreditation as the dominant party.
"Pending resolution of the petition filed by the Cusi wing of the PDP-Laban, the PDP-Laban shall be treated as one single political party for purposes of determining the dominant majority party, dominant minority party, and the 10 major national parties," the Comelec said.
Under the law, the dominant majority party will be entitled to the 5th copy of the election returns (ERs), and the 7th copy of the certificates of canvass (ĆOCs).
The dominant minority party is entitled to the 6th copy of the ERs, and the 8th copy of the COCs.
On the other hand, the 9th to the 18th copies of ERs and COCs shall be given to the 10 accredited major national parties.
The 19th and 20th copies of election returns and certificates of canvass shall be provided to the two accredited major local parties.
"The watchers of the dominant majority party and dominant minority party shall be given preference if the space in the canvassing/consolidation center is insufficient," the Comelec said.
In a press statement, PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag welcomed the declaration of being the dominant majority party.
“Kami po sa partido PDP Laban na pinamumunuan ng aming Chairman, Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at ng aming President na si Secretary Alfonso Cusi, ay lubhang nagagalak sa paghirang sa amin ng Commission on Elections bilang dominant majority party sa darating na halalang nasyonal at lokal (We in the PDP Laban party, led by our Chairman, President Rodrigo Duterte and our President Secretary Alfonso Cusi, are very pleased with the Commission on Elections' declaration of us as the dominant majority party in the upcoming national and local elections),” Matibag said.
He said the party will do its part in ensuring an orderly, clean, and honest elections.
“Sisiguraduhin namin na sa aming parte na magiging malinis, maayos, at totoong boses ng sambayanan ang mananaig sa nuwebe ng Mayo. Yan ang tagubilin sa amin ng aming Tatay sa Partido na si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte (We will, on our part, ensure that the voice of the people will prevail on May 9. That is the instruction of our father of the party, President Rodrigo Duterte),” he added.
Under the law, the dominant majority party is given the fifth copy of the election returns and the seventh copy of the certificates of canvass.
The party will also get electronically transmitted results from all election machines and be allowed to install poll watchers in precincts. (with reports from Azer N. Parrocha/PNA)
