Party-list nominees’ names bared for voters’ scrutiny: Comelec

FILE: MARAWI VILLAGE AND YOUTH POLLS. Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez (left) answers questions from the media during a press conference at National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City on Wednesday (Sept. 5, 2018), regarding the printing of ballots to be used in the Barangay and Sangguniaang Kabataan elections in Marawi. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA — An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Saturday the names of nominees of over 130 party-list organizations have been released to give voters a chance to know the personalities behind the organizations.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez noted that in party-list elections, voters must evaluate the sectoral organization but they also look at the nominees.

“While the Comelec maintains that, in a party-list elections, it is the party-list organization as a whole that should be evaluated by the electorate, it cannot be denied that the identity of the nominees remains a significant reference for voters,” he said in a statement.

“This is especially true in view of the large number of party-list organizations currently participating in the #NLE2019 elections,” Jimenez said.

On Friday, the Comelec released the list of nominees of 134 party-list organizations, which was posted on its Twitter account, @COMELEC.

“The release of the names of party- list nominees was effected to enhance the transparency of the electoral process and to enable voters to make an informed choice,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Comelec Employees’ Union (Comelec-EU) lauded the poll body’s stance in enforcing campaign rules in connection with the May 13, 2019 national and local elections.

“The Comelec leadership’s serious effort to ensure a level playing field for candidates in the forthcoming elections and its tough stance on enforcing campaign rules is commendable,” the group said in a separate statement.

“On the ground, we commit to tear down all oversized and illegally placed campaign posters,” it added.

Last week, the Comelec started its nationwide removal of illegal campaign posters starting in Metro Manila.