The Commission on Elections (Comelec) postponed the proclamation of party-list winners to Monday, May 19, amid a dispute over whether there are 63 or 64 seats and pending the submission of position papers by the organizations involved.
According to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, partylist officials hold varying views on the calculation of allocations, as some groups contend that the total number of seats should be 64 instead of 63.
The poll body has earlier said that there are 63 seats designated for party-list representatives, which represent 20 percent of the total membership of the House of Representatives.
“Parties that secure a minimum of two percent of the total votes in the party-list election will be granted one seat each,” Garcia explained on Friday.
After position papers are submitted, oral arguments will not be needed.
“The issue of how many seats, whether 63 or 64, the entitlement to two or three seats, or none at all, must all be addressed comprehensively,” Garcia said.
“There are even cases of party-lists whose accreditations were cancelled. All of this must be factored into the resolution,” he added.
The final announcement of party-list winners is tentatively scheduled for Monday, May 19, depending on how the issues will be resolved.
The party-list system ensures sectoral representation in the House of Representatives, allocating 20 percent of total seats based on a complex formula defined by legislation and Supreme Court rulings.