By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos Araneta

A party-list group and two non-government organizations yesterday asked the Supreme Court to compel the Commission on Elections to release the names of party-list nominees.

In a 33-page petition, Akbayan party-list along with Kilosbayan Foundation and Bantay Katarungan Foundation sought the nullification of Comelec Resolution 7-0724, which prohibited the disclosure of the names of the nominees.

The petitioners said the resolution was erroneous, arbitrary, and contrary to law.

“Judicial intervention is urgent and necessary since Comelec’s refusal to release the names of the party-list nominees prior to the May 14 polls would lead to irreparable damage to the constitutional rights of voters,” Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales said.

Rosales sought the help of former Senate President Jovito Salonga of Kilosbayan. Together, they went to the Supreme Court to file the petition.

The petitioners said that since the nominee will represent the party-list, which in essence represents thousands if not millions of marginalized people of a certain sector, the disclosure of their identities is imperative.

“A vote for a particular group is a vote for its nominee, who will represent the group in Congress. Thus the names of the nominees are of public interest,” Rosales said.

Akbayan said the continued refusal of the Comelec to reveal the names would violate the freedom of speech and access to information guaranteed by the 1987 Constitution.

Besides, the policy of non-disclosure contradicts the SC’s ruling on Bagong Bayani OFW vs Comelec, which ruled that nominees must come from marginalized and under-represented sectors.

Recently, “Bantay Republic Act 7941" and Urban Poor for Legal Reforms asked the Supreme Court to nullify the resolution of the Comelec accrediting 32 party-list groups to participate in the May 14 elections.

In a 37-page petition, Bantay Republic Act 7941 and Urban Poor for Legal Reforms assailed the decision of the Comelec to recognize these party-list groups, particularly “Biyaheng Pinoy” whose nominee, Arsenio Abalos, is a brother of Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos. Biyaheng Pinoy failed to comply with the guidelines for the implementation of Republic Act 7941, otherwise known as the Party-List Law, according to Bantay Republic.

The groups sought the disclosure of the nominees of party-list group, Biyaheng Pinoy, which claims to represent marginalized sector of tricycle drivers, but its nominees are not tricycle drivers themselves.

Among Biyaheng Pinoy’s primary nominees is lawyer Jesus Cruz, the incumbent vice mayor of Mandaluyong City.

“How can a lawyer and an incumbent vice mayor of a highly urbanized city like Mandaluyong credibly claim to be a tricycle driver? How can a physician like Dr. Abalos say that he is also a tricycle driver?” the petitioners asked.