Justice behind schedule

Joe Vincent Fernandez

What was once envisioned as a platform to amplify marginalized voices and democratize representation in Congress has become a backdoor for the dubious political lineage— an instant raket.

Over the years, the Philippine party-list system has been evidently hijacked by political dynasties, business corporations, and faux advocacy groups, masking themselves as pseudo party-list groups. One that drew the most attention was the controversial Duterte Youth, whose registration was recently revoked in a decisive 5-1 ruling by the Commission on Elections on August 29 following a series of legal violations. While some view this decision as a welcome development, many believe it was a long-overdue reckoning—though for many, it is too little, too late.

Although the reserved seats in Congress are meant to give marginalized and sectoral groups a voice in legislation, the current political climate undermines that intent. This is evident in the hot waters surrounding the right-wing youth group aligned with former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, whose integrity and formation remain in question since its establishment in 2016 due to its use of a controversial political last name as its party-list name. 

Despite the group securing second place behind Akbayan, with over 2.3 million votes in the May 2025 midterm elections, to this date, no representative from the “youth” group has been able to take oath or perform any legislative activity following the dismissal from Comelec.

Six years late

Prior to the penultimate ruling, there were already strong legal justifications supporting the cancellation of the party-list’s accreditation in Congress, dating back to 2019, three years after the party-list’s formation during the time when Duterte won the presidential race. A petition filed that year by youth leaders Reeya Beatrice Magtalas, Abigail Aleli Tan, Raainah Punzalan, and Aunell Ross Angcos argued that the party-list was unqualified to hold congressional seats due to multiple legal violations. These included its failure to comply with mandatory publication and hearing procedures, as outlined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the Party-list System Act.

Despite facing legal challenges, the party-list still managed to gain significant voter support in the recent elections, expanding its representation from one seat in both the 2019 and 2022 Congress to three seats in 2025. However, six years later and just eight days after the election, this fate was nullified by the Comelec after it suspended the group over pending disqualification cases. 

On June 18, the Comelec Second Division carved out a 2-1 vote to revoke the group’s registration, declaring its formation void from the beginning and not just procedurally flawed. However, despite the group’s request for a motion for reconsideration, the commissioners still denied it, citing multiple legal breaches and procedural irregularities as justification for the dismissal. Now, it appears that the party-list, which previously enjoyed a six-year premium accommodation in Congress, is experiencing a reversal of fortune, as these rulings obstruct its anticipated congressional extension. Nevertheless, there remains some ambiguity as to why this legal action was only pursued now. The likely explanation points to the backlog in the justice system during Duterte’s presidency, which may have stalled the progress of the case, possibly in the hope that their party-list name would shield them from legal consequences.

With all these delays and circulations, the spotlight now shifts to the actual timing of the commission’s move to halt the youth group’s congressional seats after the recent elections, which casts uncertainty over the schedule of Comelec’s actions. This delayed six-year injunction has also led to questions being raised about the true motive behind the decision.

What stands out most from the circulating inquiries  is that the decision only came to light during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a former ally of the Duterte camp. Their political fallout has rampantly reshaped the country’s political landscape, especially following the unexpected arrest of the former President, an event that marked a dramatic meltdown of the Davao-based bloc. This collapse is widely seen as the catalyst behind a series of post-election rulings believed to disfavor the peripheral junctures of the Duterte camp. 

Now, with their alliance effectively dissolved, the future of Duterte’s allies, particularly those still entangled with unresolved legal issues under the Marcos administration, remains uncertain and increasingly precarious, a reckoning that many believe was long overdue, one that, by all accounts, should have been carried out much sooner. 

Piling up red flags

Aside from the party-list’s non-compliance with jurisdictional requirements, other grounds for cancellation had already been identified and continued to accumulate in their case file.

This includes their founder— first nominee Ronald Cardema, the former chairman of the National Youth Commission, who was found to be over the age limit to represent the youth sector at the time. Further, his abrupt substitution in the 2019 elections for his wife, Ducielle, the supposed first nominee for Duterte Youth, along with 4 other nominees, after withdrawing their candidacies a day before the elections, was widely criticized as making a mockery of the electoral process. For the Comelec, that late substitution six years ago undermined the principles of the party-list system, revealing a deliberate attempt to manipulate the election process. 

The group was also flagged for material misrepresentation, failing to genuinely represent the youth, the sector it claimed to serve. However, its later shift to representing “young professionals” only deepened doubts about its legitimacy, with several progressive youth groups rejecting it as a false front advancing the political agenda of Cardema and his allies.

During its six-year tenure in Congress while holding a single seat, Duterte Youth has also used its platform to promote anti-democratic movements, including red-tagging activists and civic groups critical of the government. The group also strongly backed the Duterte administration for its policies, including the death penalty, push for federalism, as well as exclusive pledges to protect Duterte’s presidency from alleged ouster plots. The group also exploited its ties to government agencies, particularly the National Youth Commission, once led by Cardema, to further its own interests, violating the independence expected of party-list groups.

Despite the clear and well-documented red flags surrounding Duterte Youth, the Comelec initially fell short in fully exercising its constitutional authority to act on these legal grounds, because for six years, this bogus youth group occupied a congressional seat that could have been genuinely used to serve and uplift the marginalized youth sector. Throughout the 18th and 19th Congress, Duterte Youth’s performance was notably lacking, especially when compared to progressive youth groups like Kabataan party-list, which authored significantly more legislation. Over their Congress stay, the group not only failed to represent the youth meaningfully but also let down voters who hoped it would bring real change. Despite its name, the party-list ultimately discredited itself through its poor legislative record and lack of impact.

Now, the Comelec en banc has finalized the cancellation of the youth group’s party-list registration, unless a petition is filed within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. While the outcome remains uncertain, the group is expected to challenge the ruling, setting the stage for a prolonged legal battle in its attempt to reclaim its position. Hopefully, this back-and-forth maintains its track, away from being shelved again for another six years.

The delay in serving justice raises concerns about the integrity of the decision and invites deeper scrutiny, particularly considering that Duterte Youth is not the only questionable party-list among those elected or that have vied for seats in the Congress. Beyond this case, the Comelec must also broaden its disposition to address deeper issues with other party-list groups using similar tactics. 

Now, while the decision has been acknowledged by many, the commission holding the matter should also be held accountable for the long delay, particularly as concerns over political influence continue to cast doubt on the integrity of the ruling. Now more than ever, Comelec must take stronger action to uphold the principles of the country’s party-list system. Reforms and amendments are urgently needed to prevent similar abuses from taking root in future elections. 

Justice has now been served, though it was set out behind schedule. And while there is no apparent measure yet to combat this political irregularity, this immediate development already served as a critical step toward authentic sectoral representation and could set a precedent in an extensive attempt to remove sham party-lists from the government, a daring move that sends a clear warning to party-list groups disguising their true agendas while occupying seats in Congress. 

Duterte Youth’s registration cancellation echoes a thing or two: the party-list system is not an avenue for extra income nor a nursery for future large-scale politicians. Beyond its principle, this mechanism serves as the country’s social equalizer and obviously,  it should remain as one.