LA settles GE concerns, appoints new EXCEL2016 representative

The Legislative Assembly (LA) held a session last February 27 at the Ortigas Conference Room to discuss matters ahead of the General Elections (GE) happening this coming March. Among the agenda was the approval of the EXCEL2016 LA representative replacement, clarification of the guidelines for independent candidacy, and deliberation on the constitutional plebiscite.

New addition

After the impeachment of former EXCEL2016 LA representative Lorenzo Ermitano for gross negligence of duty last January, the LA appointed Rhobe Parel to take his place. Parel will be helming the previously vacant position until the end of this academic year.

Rules for the independents

Due to the trend of independent candidates, a proper nonpartisan election code should be implemented by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Thus, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to be signed by the independent candidates was set forth to clarify the rules and regulations on their campaign. Concerns on this agreement from both the LA and the independent candidates were brought up and resolved in the session.

Marc Morales, one of the possible independent candidates who signed the MOA, brought up an issue regarding the restrictions on the list of supporters clause in the MOA. He explained that if the supporters’ names are indicated only under one independent-running officer, this might limit them to share only the campaign paraphernalia of the candidate they are supporting.

COMELEC President Aaron Quidilla clarified that there is no problem in sharing campaign posters of multiple independent candidates. “For us, as long as they do not show themselves as a new political party, it’s okay,” he explained.

Another issue was also brought up by Frances Manuel, FOCUS2014 LA representative, asserting that the definition of supporter in the context the elections is vague because students can support any candidate regardless of which party.

Quidilla stated the purpose of having a list of supporters is to protect that candidate for possible sanctions. He further expounded that if a student campaigns for a candidate but is not in his/her list of supporters, the candidate will not be liable for the sanctions that will be imposed.

However, Quidilla added that if the campaigning student is not on the list but has a strong affiliation to a certain political party, the candidate will be facing sanctions.

Plebiscite: To be continued

The LA also deliberated on whether to hold the constitutional plebiscite during the GE as a last effort to have the amendments approved within this academic year. An argument for this proposition was that the plebiscite would have a higher chance of reaching the 50 percent plus one vote quota should it be included in the GE ballot.

However, some legislators asserted that another educational campaign might be needed if a plebiscite will push through, and that time constraints would hinder these efforts. In addition, not implementing an educational campaign is also ill-advised since this will make voters unaware of the plebiscite, and make them vote under duress.

Even if the elections were recommended as a time to hold the plebiscite, the LA decided not to push through with it this GE. Further deliberations on the plebiscite, according to Chief Legislator Patrick Kahn, will now depend on next year’s LA.