Youth and progressive organizations welcomed the June 18 decision of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Second Division, nullifying the registration of the Duterte Youth party-list.
Due to non-compliance with legal requirements such as the publication of its petition for registration and the conduct of a public hearing, Duterte Youth lost all rights and privileges as an accredited party-list — officially excluding them from joining the 20th Congress, despite placing second in the 2025 midterm polls with over 2.3 million votes.
Filed by Rachelle Junsay, national coordinator of Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP), Troy Cabangon, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) student regent, and Francesca Duran, University of the Philippines (UP) System student regent, the petition submitted to the COMELEC on May 8 challenged party-list’s registration, citing false representation and the party-list’s red-tagging of progressive groups.
Grounding the decision was a 2019 petition filed by youth leaders Reeya Beatrice Magtalas, Abigail Aleli Tan, Raainah Punzalan, and Aunell Ross Angcos who questioned the group’s legitimacy and sectoral representation, along with the the last-minute substitution of then-nominee Ronald Cardema — who, at 34 years old, exceeded the legal age limit of 30 for youth-sector nominees under the Party-List System Act.
With their registration now voided, Duterte Youth has lost all rights and privileges as an accredited party-list — officially excluding them from joining the 20th Congress, despite placing second in the 2025 midterm polls with over 2.3 million votes.
Atty. Renee Co, incoming Kabataan Party-list representative, said the ruling was warranted and that it reaffirmed the need to protect the party-list system from political misuse.
“Walang puwang sa Kongreso ang mga grupong nagpapanggap na galing sa marginalized sector pero malinaw na hindi naman,” she remarked.
Similarly, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Teachers party-list also welcomed the ruling and urged COMELEC to uphold the division’s decision and ensure accountability.
“The Duterte Youth party-list was never formed to uphold the genuine interests of Filipino youth – it was established as a red-tagging organization designed to benefit the Duterte family and their political machinery,” House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro added.
For Kabataan Tayo ang Pag-asa (KTAP), a youth formation that has actively campaigned for Duterte Youth’s disqualification, the decision affirmed the importance of continued vigilance. In a statement, KTAP noted that Duterte Youth catered only to state interests, not the demands of the people.
Calling the cancellation as a necessary step in protecting the youth sector, the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) said that the party-list posed ongoing threats through “red-tagging and disinformation” and failed to advocate for accessible education and essential services.
Sectoral organizations also echoed similar sentiments; according to Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Chairperson Danilo Ramos, the Duterte Youth party-list was never a legitimate voice of the youth, much less of oppressed sectors like farmers.
Ramos also called for COMELEC to proclaim Gabriela Women’s Party, who ranked 55th in the 2025 party-list elections, to the vacated seat — describing it as a legitimate organization with a strong record of grassroots advocacy.
Gabriela Women’s Party Vice Chairperson Sarah Elago echoed the call, stressing that the disqualification should set a precedent for disqualifying other inauthentic party-lists, specifically those backed by political dynasties and corporate interests.
While the Duterte Youth party-list has yet to file a formal appeal as of press time, chairperson Cardema lamented in an interview that the ruling is an “unjust nullification” of their electoral victory. “This is not just about Duterte Youth or Joey Uy. This is about setting the stage for bigger disqualifications. And the ultimate target may be Sara Duterte in 2028,” he added, warning of what he described as a “political pattern of weaponizing legal processes to reverse election outcomes.
According to COMELEC Chairman George Garcia, the motion is set to take effect on June 30 unless a motion for reconsideration is filed within five days of the ruling’s promulgation and if the commission en banc or the Supreme Court would approve their appeal.
