The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is rushing the resolution of cases pertaining to winning partylist groups in time for the opening of the 15th Congress on Monday next week.

“We see the urgency (of proclaiming all winning party-list groups).

That’s why we also want to finish the party-list (protest cases). We are already rushing to resolve the pending cases of nominees with disqualification or those with cancellation of registration,” said Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento.

Sarmiento said that the poll body has been receiving queries as to when they are going to complete the proclamation of all winning party-list groups due to concerns of their assignment in House committees.

“A lot of people are asking about party-list (proclamations) because they are concerned that committee memberships might run out,” he said.

Another concern being raised is the payment of the staff of party-list groups, said Sarmiento.

“They might not be paid (on time). There will be a gap in service,” he said.

Sarmiento said the groups also feel that they needed time to be trained or oriented on the task at hand aside from wanting to be present when the 15th Congress opens on July 26, highlighted by President Aquino’s first State of the Nation Address (SoNA).

“They are after the SoNA. As much as possible they want to be there,” he said.

Earlier, Comelec Chairman Jose Melo cited the possibility of President Aquino delivering his SoNA with the House of Representatives party-list seats still incomplete.

Melo said such a scenario is possible due to the special elections in certain areas such as in Basilan, Lanao del Sur, and Bulacan on September 12 which would determine the last five to seven party-list seats.

It was last May 31 when the Comelec proclaimed the first 33 party-list congressmen but deferred the proclamation of the 11 other winning party-list organizations due to petitions against them.

Under the party-list system, party-list representatives must comprise 20 percent of the House membership, translated to about 57 seats.

But another concern was raised against Comelec as it resolves the controversy surrounding the last 11 winning party-list organizations.

For sitting on 11 pre-proclamation controversies involving party-list organizations that supposedly won congressional seats last May 10, the Comelec might have encroached on the powers of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

This view was aired by an outgoing HRET member as he pointed out that the legislative-judicial body should have been given the sole authority to resolve election controversies, particularly pre-proclamation contests, brought up against candidates who won House seats.

Requesting anonymity, the former congressman said the Comelec must immediately dismiss the cases filed against winning party-list organizations and let the HRET “do what it is empowered to do.”

The Comelec has been sitting on at least 14 pre-proclamation protests filed against 11 party-list groups that garnered enough votes to send at least one nominee to the Lower House.

Reports indicated that the poll body has already resolved two pre-proclamation controversies involving party-list organizations that have strong backing from religious organizations.

At the Usaping Balita News Forum last week, six party-list nominees affected by Comelec’s inaction appealed to the poll body to decide their cases cases before the 15th Congress opens on Monday.

“We also want to have a say in choosing the next speaker of the House. It would be unfair to us and our choice for the speaker if we will not be allowed to vote just because harassment cases are still pending against us,” said former Rep. Pastor Alcover of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy.

Alcover said they have formed the Partylist Alliance in the Lower House which is composed of 25 partylist nominees who will be backing the candidacy of Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte for speaker.

Despite a Supreme Court ruling upholding their qualifications as congressmen, the Comelec has prevented Alcover, together with former Reps. Daryl Grace Abayon of Aangat Tayo and Acmad Tomawis of ALIF, from occupying their seats in the Lower House.

The three 14th Congress members said they want to pursue legislative measures that the past Congress failed to pass.

Sharon Garin of AAMBIS-OWA, Arnel Ty of LPGMA and Vigor Mendoza of 1-UTAK said the petitions filed against them fall under the qualifications of “harassment charges”.

The petition filed against LPGMA, an organization of firms engaged in liquefied petroleum gas trade, was allegedly filed by the three big oil companies in the country. LPGMA has been a strong anti-oil cartel advocate.

Garin said the cases against them should be turned over to the rightful body tasked to resolve them – the HRET.

“We are in limbo right now. The problem is we cannot serve the people whom we promised to serve.

It is not right to discriminate us, we have more votes than regular congressmen,” said nominee Sharon Garin of AAMBIS-OWA.

Mendoza, another member of the 14th Congress, said they want the Comelec to decide on the cases filed against them in order that they would know what steps to take in case their proclamation is rejected.

“Why are we being distinguished, from the very beginning, when we are only playing by the rules. What we are asking is fairness on the part of Comelec,” he said.

Alcover and Abayon said they want to immediately participate in legislative proceedings in order to allow them to push for the approval of their various legislative advocacies.

Alcover, a fierce anti-communist advocate, is facing disqualification cases filed by militant organizations.

He said the PLA believes that it is their responsibility to vote the right man to be the speaker and that they have chosen Belmonte to the post. (With a report from Ben Rosario)