The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has withheld the promulgation of the dominant majority and dominant minority parties in view of the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order (TRO) on the coalition of the Nacionalista Party (NP) and the Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition (NPC).

“With the TRO, we withheld the promulgation,” Comelec Chairman Jose Melo said.

He said they already signed the resolution naming Lakas-Kampi-CMD and NP-NPC coalition as the dominant majority and dominant minority parties, respectively, last Tuesday.

“That’s in accordance with the computation on the number of their people. That’s not something we plucked out from thin air,” said Melo.

But with the TRO from the SC, he said, they cannot make the declaration.

The Comelec head said it might be very difficult for the SC to immediately issue a decision on the case since they are about to go on recess next month.

“I would say it might be a bit difficult for the SC, at this point, to decide on the questioning of the coalition so we might not have a dominant majority and minority,” said Melo.

If no dominant parties are named in time, he said, the political parties may just be forced to rely on the Comelec’s own count.

“We will discuss it in the (commission) en banc what we will do. They might just depend on the website or whatever,” Melo said.

Still, he is hoping that the High Tribunal will be able to decide on the case next week so they can still have time to declare the dominant parties.

Republic Act 9369 or the Poll Automation Law entitles the dominant majority and minority party to the fifth and sixth copy of the election returns (ERs). They are also entitled to have their own data servers on Election Day and their watchers will be given priorities in cramped precincts.

On Tuesday, the High Court issued a TRO stopping the Comelec from recognizing the NP-NPC coalition while ordering the poll body, NP, NPC and LP to file their comments within five days.