Former National Youth Commission (NYC) Commissioner Dingdong Dantes did not mince words on social media as he commented on Ronald Cardema’s bid to become the substitute nominee for the Duterte youth party-list group.
“Kung may balak siyang maging Congressman noong una pa lang, nararapat lang na nag resign siya bilang NYC Chairman. Pwede bang nagising na lang siya isang araw at nag-decide na trip niya (If he had plans to be a Congressman even before, he should have resigned as NYC chairman. Is it possible that he just woke up one day and decided that he wanted it)?” Dantes said in a Facebook post on Monday, May 20.
On the eve of the election day, May 12, Cardema, who replaced resigned NYC chair Ice Seguerra, filed a petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to replace his wife, Ducielle Suarez, as the first nominee of the Duterte Youth.
Reacting to this, Dantes said if Cardema’s petition is granted, it seems like the democratic process of choosing the rightful representative has been “railroaded.”
“Nakakalungkot na bilang pangunahing representante ng kabataan ay lumalabas na nakikisali siya sa pagabuso at pag-circumvent sa Party-List system (It is saddening that as the primary representative of the youth, it seems like he is among those abusing and circumventing the party-list system),” the former NYC official stressed.
As much as he wanted to believe that Cardema has good reasons, Dantes said the latter still has a lot of things, including why all the Duterte Youth’s nominees withdrew and his sudden substitution appeal. The party-list’s original nominees aside from Suarez were Joseph de Guzman, Benila de Guzman, Arnaldo Villafranca, and Elizabeth Anne Cardema.
Dantes added that if Cardema really wanted to serve the youth, then being an NYC head is the “best position.”
“Tanungin mo si (Ask) Chairman CY Diño Seguerra, whom I respect so much,” he said, tagging Seguerra’s Facebook account.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Sunday said Cardema is considered resigned after filing his petition for substitution.
The Comelec, meanwhile, has yet to decide on Cardema’s petition.