Cardema withdraws plea as Duterte Youth first nominee

Cardema cited the notice of withdrawal for being the First Nominee of the Party-list organization, which he earlier filed, as the main reason for his latest action. (File Photo: National Youth Commission/Facebook)

MANILA — Former National Youth Commission (NYC) chairperson Ronald Cardema of the Duterte Youth has withdrawn his motion for reconsideration (MR) against the decision of the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) First Division disqualifying him as the party-list group’s first nominee.

“Wherefore, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed of this Honorable Commission En Banc that the Respondent’s MR dated August 13 to the Resolution of the Honorable Commission First Division dated August 5 be immediately declared as withdrawn,” Cardema said in his three-page motion to withdraw filed at the Official of the Clerk of the Commission dated Sept. 23 and released to media Wednesday.

Cardema cited the notice of withdrawal for being the First Nominee of the Party-list organization, which he earlier filed, as the main reason for his latest action.

“In view of the foregoing, the Respondent respectfully moves for the withdrawal of his MR dated August 13 considering that the rationale and arguments raised thereof has already been rendered moot and academic by reason of the Notice of Withdrawal,” he added.

Cardema noted that the “instant Manifestation with Motion to Withdraw is filed in good faith and into not intended to delay the proceedings of the case.”

Last month, Cardema asked the First Division to set aside its August 5 ruling, canceling his nomination as the First Nominee of the party-list group.

On September 13, he filed his Notice of Withdrawal as the First Nominee of the organization.

The Duterte Youth Party-list won a seat in the House of Representatives after getting a total of 354,629 votes in the May 2019 polls.