The Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order in favor of three more party-list groups enjoining the Commission on Elections from denying their petitions for registration as party-list groups for the coming May 2022 elections.
In three separate orders, the SC granted the plea for TROs of Ang Tinig ng Senior Citizens sa Pilipinas, Inc., Lingkud Bayanihan Party, and the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Conference for Peace and Development.
Last December 17, the Court issued similar orders in favor of Igorot Warriors International, Inc. (IWI) and Alliance for Resilience, Sustainability and Empowerment (ARISE).
SC Clerk of Court Marife M. Lomibao Cuevas said the TROs were given by the authority of Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo upon written recommendations by the justices-in-charge of the petitions.
In the same orders, the Court directed the respondent Comelec to comment on the petitions filed by the three party-list groups within 10 days from receipt of the resolutions.
Comelec dismissed the petition for registration of Ang Tinig ng Seniors on October 12. The party-list group’s motion for reconsideration was likewise turned down on December 1.
Comelec rejected 126 groups bidding to register as party-lists for the 2022 elections on November 17.
Of the 270 party-list groups that filed their Certificates of Nomination and Acceptance during the filing period from October 1 to 8, a total of 53 groups were granted new registrations on October 25.
The Kalipunan ng Maralita at Malayang Mamamayan, Inc. (Kamalayan) has secured the top spot on the ballot for 166 party-list groups during the recent draw.
Additional groups will be placed after the 166th group, Buhay Hayaan Yumabong (BUHAY).