(File photo)
MANILA - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said it will abide by the status quo ante order (SQAO) issued by the Supreme Court (SC) on the Magsasaka party-list dispute.
"We will abide, respect, and act accordingly," Comelec chairman George Garcia said in a statement.
Garcia said they will not come out with any issuances concerning the proclamation of Robert Gerard Nazal Jr. as Magsasaka Party-list representative.
"We will refrain, in the meantime, from issuing any document recognizing Mr. Nazal as the legitimate nominee of Magsasaka PL," he said.
Nazal was proclaimed by the National Board of Canvassers as the legitimate representative of the Magsasaka party-list last September 14. He recently took oath as member of the House of Representatives on Oct. 10 for the party-list group.
The SQAO was issued October 18 in response to the petition filed by former Magsasaka Partylist Rep. Argel Joseph Cabatbat.
In its order, the SC directed both parties to maintain the existing circumstances before the September 14 NBOC promulgation, “until further orders." (PNA)
