The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to conduct next week its first ever virtually witnessed raffle on the placement of qualified party-list in the ballot for the 2022 polls.
In its Resolution No. 10733, the Comelec en banc said the virtual raffle will be held on 10 Dec. 2021 at the Palacio del Gobernador Bldg., Intramuros, Manila.
However, the event can only be watched by the participating party-list as well as the media as part of the poll body’s effort to minimize the risk of spreading novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
“This if the first time that we have virtual witnesses because prior to the pandemic…we didn’t know that we can do that and we certainly didn’t feel the need for it,” Jimenez said in a previous press briefing.
He said party-list groups must signify via online to submit the name of their representative and/or send any representatives during the conduct of the raffle to “lock-in their place in the ballot.”
The raffle will cover all registered party-list, which filed their Manifestation of Intent to Participate not later than 31 March 2021.
Also qualified to join the raffle are those with pending incidents, including those with pending cases in Comelec as well as those with cancelled registration and accreditation of whose Petition for Registration have been denied by the Commission en banc and were able to secure a status quo order ante order from the Supreme Court.
The Comelec en banc, however, noted that “participation in the raffle is without prejudice to the resolution of the pending incidents and the exclusion on the official ballot.”
Jimenez said this means that even if a party-list is already assigned a number in ballot through the raffle, they could still be removed from if they are later found to be unqualified to participate in the 2022 polls.
“So what will happen to your number? you number or spot in the list will essentially be filled by someone else but the numbers will not change,” Jimenez said.
As of Monday, Comelec already registered 138 party-list groups, which could be included in the 2022 elections ballots.
It also recorded 97 other groups with pending motions for reconsideration before Comelec and another 5 with petitions before the poll body, which are pending registration.
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