MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III has filed a bill seeking to tighten the rules governing the party-list system, saying its current implementation has deviated from its original purposes of representing marginalized groups.
Under Senate Bill 192, Sotto proposes amendments to Republic Act 7941 or the “Party-List System Act” which he said has “created more inequality” over the years.
“Through the years, the interpretation of the law on party-list has expanded its qualification and has deviated from the intent of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, which is to truly represent the marginalized and the underrepresented,” Sotto said.
The bill calls for stricter qualifications for accreditation and clearer grounds for disqualification or cancellation or party-list registrations.
Nominees may lose registration if: (1) they are proven to not be part of the marginalized sector that they are representing, (2) if they misrepresent qualifications, or (3) if they are found to be pursuing advocacies “not for the best interest of the government.”
It also cites material misinterpretation as a basis for disqualification.
Sotto criticized some party-list groups for allegedly using the system as “fronts” for personal or political interests, instead of fulfilling their mandate of serving poor and underrepresented sectors.
He said it is “necessary to re-examine and fix” the system to prevent the very inequality the Constitution seeks to eliminate.
