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Advocates Philippines
Comelec Hits Pause: Duterte Youth, Bagong Henerasyon Proclamations Suspended-Both Cry Foul
Screengrab from Comelec
In a move that shocked not just the camps involved but also many watching the political scene, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) abruptly suspended the proclamation of party-list groups Duterte Youth and Bagong Henerasyon on what was supposed to be a day of celebration and official recognition.
Just hours before their expected proclamation on May 19, 2025, Comelec announced that it was temporarily putting on hold the proclamation of three Duterte Youth representatives—Re-elected Rep. Drixie Cardema, Congressman-elect Berlin Lingwa, and Congressman-elect Ron Bawalan. All three are under 30, with military and police academy credentials, and were hailed by their camp as “Iskolars ng Bayan” and champions of anti-communist advocacy.
According to Comelec, the delay stemmed from “serious allegations” stemming from a long-standing case filed back in 2019 by the Kabataan Party-List. This move immediately drew fiery criticism from Duterte Youth Chairman Ronald Cardema, who called it a “grave abuse of discretion” and vowed to take the matter all the way to the Supreme Court.
“If the case was really that serious, why were we allowed to sit in 2019 and 2022? And now that millions voted for us again, you suspend us on proclamation day itself?” Cardema asked, slamming the timing of the suspension as both suspicious and politically motivated.
He didn’t hold back either—saying the Comelec should focus on “vote-buyers and plunderers” instead of a party-list that claims to reject corruption and push for death penalties for heinous criminals and NPA terrorists.
Meanwhile, Bagong Henerasyon Party-List, led by Rep. Bernadette Herrera, also found themselves in the same boat—but with no explanation whatsoever. In a strongly worded statement, Herrera revealed that they weren’t even informed about a complaint. No summons, no documents, no details—just a sudden halt to their proclamation.
“How can we be held accountable for an accusation that’s unnamed, unheard, and unexplained?” Herrera asked, saying that their 319,803 voters deserved better.
The party-list has filed an Urgent Motion to Proclaim and is calling on Comelec to uphold the rule of law and basic fairness.
Now, the issue boils down to this: How do you balance pending allegations with the mandate of the people? Can the voice of over 2.6 million voters—between Duterte Youth and Bagong Henerasyon—be set aside over unresolved complaints?
One thing’s for sure: this isn’t the last we’ll hear of this. Both groups are ready to take the fight to the courts and the public arena. For them, this isn’t just about seats in Congress—it’s about defending what they believe is the democratic voice of their voters.
Just hours before their expected proclamation on May 19, 2025, Comelec announced that it was temporarily putting on hold the proclamation of three Duterte Youth representatives—Re-elected Rep. Drixie Cardema, Congressman-elect Berlin Lingwa, and Congressman-elect Ron Bawalan. All three are under 30, with military and police academy credentials, and were hailed by their camp as “Iskolars ng Bayan” and champions of anti-communist advocacy.
According to Comelec, the delay stemmed from “serious allegations” stemming from a long-standing case filed back in 2019 by the Kabataan Party-List. This move immediately drew fiery criticism from Duterte Youth Chairman Ronald Cardema, who called it a “grave abuse of discretion” and vowed to take the matter all the way to the Supreme Court.
“If the case was really that serious, why were we allowed to sit in 2019 and 2022? And now that millions voted for us again, you suspend us on proclamation day itself?” Cardema asked, slamming the timing of the suspension as both suspicious and politically motivated.
He didn’t hold back either—saying the Comelec should focus on “vote-buyers and plunderers” instead of a party-list that claims to reject corruption and push for death penalties for heinous criminals and NPA terrorists.
Meanwhile, Bagong Henerasyon Party-List, led by Rep. Bernadette Herrera, also found themselves in the same boat—but with no explanation whatsoever. In a strongly worded statement, Herrera revealed that they weren’t even informed about a complaint. No summons, no documents, no details—just a sudden halt to their proclamation.
“How can we be held accountable for an accusation that’s unnamed, unheard, and unexplained?” Herrera asked, saying that their 319,803 voters deserved better.
The party-list has filed an Urgent Motion to Proclaim and is calling on Comelec to uphold the rule of law and basic fairness.
Now, the issue boils down to this: How do you balance pending allegations with the mandate of the people? Can the voice of over 2.6 million voters—between Duterte Youth and Bagong Henerasyon—be set aside over unresolved complaints?
One thing’s for sure: this isn’t the last we’ll hear of this. Both groups are ready to take the fight to the courts and the public arena. For them, this isn’t just about seats in Congress—it’s about defending what they believe is the democratic voice of their voters.
May 19, 2025
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