Statement of Sen. Francis Pangilinan, Liberal Party president, on Comelec ruling re dominant minority party

Just four days before election day, Comelec says Koko Pimentel’s PDP Laban is the dominant majority party while Manny Villar’s Nationalista Party (NP) is the dominant minority party.

Paano naman nangyari yun eh magkaalyado ang PDP at NP sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang administrasyon? Sila na ang majority, sila pa rin ang minority? Ang alyansang PDP NP na ba ang bagong KBL?

Mga kagalang-galang na mga Commissioners, kontra sa isang demokrasya ang inyong naging pasya. Kontra sa basic tenets of fair play. Kontra sa common sense. Kalokohan. Pinwera ninyo ang oposisyon at binigay lahat ng pribilehiyo sa Administrasyon. Ika nga eh sa mainit na araw na ito ay kulang na lang ay paypayan ninyo sila ng husto, bigyan ng maiinom na malamig na tubig at maglabas ng masarap na merienda.

Walang pinagkaiba ito sa naging pasya at pamumulitika ng mga politiko sa House of Representatives nang hirangin bilang speaker si GMA at ihalal naman bilang minority leader ang kaalyado at kapartido nito na si Rep. Danny Suarez. Namumulitika na rin ba ang Comelec?

This is no different from the decision and politicking of politicians in the House of Representatives when they proclaimed GMA speaker and elected as minority leader their ally and party-mate Rep. Danny Suarez. Is Comelec also engaged in pokiticking?

Umaapela kami, huwag magbulagbulagan Comelec. Huwag maging instrumento at kasangkapan ng Administrasyon sa pagyurak sa ating mga karapatan at sa ating demokrasya. Pati ba ang Comelec ay sunud-sunuran na rin?

Lumabas ang desisyon kahapon, May 9, 2019 o apat na araw na lang bago ang araw ng eleksyon. Wala ng oras mag-apela. Sinadya ba ito?

Malaking kalokohan. Dapat tutulan. Tututulan hanggang sa Korte Suprema. Walang atrasan. Walang pagsuko.

Just four days before election day, Comelec says Koko Pimentel’s PDP Laban is the dominant majority party while Manny Villar’s Nationalista Party (NP) is the dominant minority party.

How can that happen when PDP and NP are both allied with the Administration? How can they be both majority and minority? Is the PDP-NP alliance the new KBL?

Honorable Commissioners, your decision runs counter to democracy. Runs counter to the basic tenets of fair play. Runs counter to common sense. Incredible. You chose to deny the existence of the Opposition and gave all the privileges to the Administration.

This is no different from the decision and politicking of politicians in the House of Representatives when they proclaimed GMA speaker and elected as minority leader their ally and party-mate Rep. Danny Suarez. Is Comelec also engaged in politicking?

We appeal to Comelec, don’t pretend to be blind. Don’t be an instrument and a tool of the Administration in trampling on our political rights and mangling our democracy. Has the Comelec become a sycophant too?

The decision was released yesterday, May 9, 2019 or four days before election day. There is no time to appeal. Was this deliberate?

This is absolutely unacceptable. We oppose this. We will oppose before the Supreme Court. No retreat. Never surrender.