EN BANC Agenda of April 2, 2013 Item No. 25 G.R. Nos. 203766
EN BANC Agenda of April 2, 2013 Item No. 25 G.R. Nos. 203766, 203818-19, 203922, 203936, 203958, 203960, 203976, 203981, 204002, 204094, 204100, 204122, 204125, 204126, 204139, 204141, 204153, 204158, 204174, 204216, 204220, 204236, 204238, 204239, 204240, 204263, 204318, 204321, 204323, 204341, 204356, 204358, 204359, 204364, 204367, 204370, 204374, 204379, 204394, 204402, 204408, 204410, 204421, 204425, 204426, 204428, 204435, 204436, 204455, 204484, 204485, 204486 and 204490 – ATONG PAGLAUM, INC. represented by its President, MR. ALAN IGOT, Petitioner, versus COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, Respondent; et al. x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x CONCURRING AND DISSENTING OPINION REYES, J.: In its noblest sense, the party-list system truly empowers the masses and ushers a new hope for genuine change. Verily, it invites those marginalized and underrepresented in the past — the farm hands, the fisher folk, the urban poor, even those in the underground movement — to come out and participate, as indeed many of them came out and participated during the last elections. The State cannot now disappoint and frustrate them by disabling and desecrating this social justice vehicle.1 The Court is tasked to resolve the fifty-three (53) consolidated Petitions for Certiorari and Petitions for Certiorari and Prohibition filed under Rule 64, in relation to Rule 65, of the Rules of Court by various party- list groups and organizations. The petitions assail the resolutions issued by the respondent Commission on Elections (COMELEC) that either cancelled their existing registration and accreditation, or denied their new petitions for registration under the party-list system.2 Of the fifty-three (53) petitions, thirteen (13) are instituted by new applicants to the party-list system, whose respective applications for registration and/or accreditation filed under Republic Act No.
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