Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman Atty. George Erwin Garcia confirmed that the poll body is set to proclaim next week the 64th partylist representative who will join the 20th Congress.
This development comes after the COMELEC En Banc cancelled the registration of the Duterte Youth Partylist due to alleged “misrepresentation” in the sector it claimed to represent in the House of Representatives.
According to Garcia, the target proclamation date is September 18 (Thursday).
“The Law Department and the Supervisory Group of the National Board of Canvassers have already submitted their recommendations. They are recommending the immediate proclamation of the 64th party-list nominee,” Garcia said.
While Garcia did not disclose which partylist group will be proclaimed, based on the final and official tally of the partylist race, the seat is expected to go to the Gabriela Women’s Party, with its first nominee, former Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago, likely to assume the post.
Garcia clarified, however, that the decision against Duterte Youth will only become final on September 30, when the Certificate of Finality is issued.
Meanwhile, Duterte Youth has a pending appeal before the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the COMELEC ruling.