Comelec OKs Guanzon nomination as P3PWD representative

Asked if Guanzon will be able to sit as the representative of P3PWD, he said, “Yes.” (File Photo: @rowena_guanzon/Twitter)

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday has approved the nomination of former commissioner Rowena Guanzon to represent Komunidad ng Pamilya, Pasyente at Persons with Disabilities (P3PWD) party-list.

“Upon majority vote, the Commission on Elections in its regular en banc meeting today, June 15, 2022, approved the recommendation of the Law Department on the June 14, 2022 submission of Komunidad ng Pamilya, Pasyente at Persons with Disabilities (P3PWD) Party List,” poll body acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in a statement.

He said the decision granted the respective withdrawal of nomination of the group’s original set of nominees — Grace S. Yeneza, Ira Paulo A. Pozon, Marianne Heidi Cruz Fullon, Peter Jonas R. David, and Lily Grace A. Tiangco.

It also gave due course to the new list of nominees which include Guanzon, Rosalie J. Garcia, Cherrie B. Belmonte-Lim, Donnabel C. Tenorio and Rodolfo B. Villar Jr.

“We shall await for the Comelec Secretary’s official release of the signed en banc resolution on the matter,” Laudiangco added.

On the other hand, he said the P3PWD’s petition for registration was granted by the Second Division, which was then composed by Commissioners Socorro B. Inting and Antonio T. Kho, Jr.

“Former Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia V. Guanzon did not participate in the hearing and grant of P3PWD’s Petition for Registration as a Party-List Organization,” Laudiangco said.

Asked if Guanzon will be able to sit as the representative of P3PWD, he said, “Yes.”

On Tuesday, the group filed documents which include the resignation of nominees and acceptance of new nominees before the poll body.

The party-list group won a seat in the May 9 polls.

Meanwhile, an election watchdog group urged Guanzon to reconsider her decision to represent the organization.

“Guanzon should seriously reconsider. This might be perceived as improper given that she is a former Comelec commissioner. Preparations for the 2022 party-list election happened during her term,” said Danilo Arao, convenor of Kontra Daya.

Arao added that the move might set a precedent.

“The withdrawal of all five nominees so that she can be the first nominee sets a dangerous precedent for future winners of the party-list race. We do not want placeholders as nominees who will just withdraw beyond the deadline,” Arao added.

Guanzon retired from the poll body last February 2.