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LP is dominant minority party, to get ER’s, server


(Update 3 - 9:18 PM) The Liberal Party has been declared as the dominant minority in the May elections, entitling it to a copy of one election return (ER) and a server where results will automatically be received on election day. In a nine-page resolution, the Comelec en banc also declared the Lakas-Kampi CMD as the dominant majority party in next week's polls. As a dominant majority party, Lakas-Kampi will also enjoy privileges given to the dominant minority party. The same resolution also declared the Nacionalista Party (NP), Bangon Pilipinas Movement, Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), and PDP-LABAN as the six accredited major political parties. Accredited major political parties will also be entitled to copies of the ER and will be given priority to deploy watchers to the precincts and canvassing centers, under Republic Act 9369 or the amended Poll Automation Law. The decision was based on the following criteria:
  • The established record of the said parties, coalition or groups
  • The number of incumbent elective officials belonging to them 90 days before the date of elections
  • Their identifiable political organizations and strengths as evidenced by their organized chapters
  • The ability to field a complete slate of candidates from the municipal level to the position of Senator
  • Other analogous circumstances that may determine their relative organizations and strengths
The Comelec resolution came a day after the Supreme Court nullified a poll body resolution recognizing the NP-NPC coalition, effectively diminishing their chances of being proclaimed the dominant minority party. LP, the NP-NPC Coalition, and the PMP have sought the poll body’s nod to become the dominant minority party in May. But LP opposed the NP-NPC application, saying that the coalition was only formed to meet the poll body’s requirement that the dominant minority party field the most number of candidates in the national and local elections. Comelec records show that LP will be fielding 5,934 candidates in the May polls while NP will be fielding 5,565 and NPC 2,373. Republic Act 9369 requires the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines to print 30 copies of the ERs, which indicate the election results at the precinct level. NP downplays decision For its part, the Nacionalista Party on Friday downplayed the decision declaring its rival Liberal Party as the dominant minority party. “Sa amin it doesn’t matter anymore at this point dahil iyan ay isang belated declaration," NP spokesperson and senatorial bet Gilbert Remulla told reporters before the start of their meeting de avance in Vitas, Tondo. (For us, it doesn't matter anymore at this point because that is a belated declaration.) He reiterated that the decision does not change the relationship between NP and Nationalist People’s Coalition. “We are working well together and with that what matters now is what is on the ground," he said. The only advantage of being declared a dominant minority is the access to the server so they will just put people in the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) for the real time monitoring of the results. “So there is really not much of an advantage kung dominant minority ngayon except for the title," Remulla said. “The PCOS machine will be printing out multiple copies kaya lahat ng major parties ay magkakaroon ng kopya ng election returns." (All major parties will have copies of election returns.) - with Amita O. Legaspi, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV
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