MANILA, Philippines —The Commission on Elections (Comelec) En Banc has affirmed the cancellation of the registration of the Duty to Energize the Republic Through the Enlightenment of the Youth (Duterte Youth) sectoral party-list organization.

Comelec en banc upholds cancelation of Duterte Youth Party-List registration

In a resolution promulgated on Aug. 29, 2025, the full commission denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Duterte Youth, which sought to reverse a June 18 ruling by the Comelec Second Division that nullified its registration.

Comelec en banc upholds cancelation of Duterte Youth Party-List registration, This news data comes from:http://gyglfs.com

The case originated from a petition filed on Sept. 3, 2019, by Reeya Beatrice Magtalas, Abigail Aleli Tan, Raainah Punzalan, and Aunell Ross Angcos. The petitioners argued that Duterte Youth's registration was void from the beginning for failing to comply with mandatory jurisdictional requirements, including publication and public hearing of its petition for registration.

The Comelec found no merit in Duterte Youth's appeal, stating that the Second Division's decision was "well-supported by the evidence on record and is consistent with applicable law." The commission emphasized that the duty to publish the required documents lay with the party-list organization itself, a legal prerequisite that Duterte Youth failed to fulfill.

Furthermore, the Comelec upheld the Second Division's finding that Duterte Youth committed multiple grounds for cancelation. The organization was found to have made untruthful statements in its petition, particularly regarding the eligibility of its nominees, and lacked a bona fide intention to represent the youth sector. It was also found to have advocated violence or unlawful means to achieve its goals and was determined to be an adjunct of or an entity funded by the National Youth Commission. The commission also ruled that a mass withdrawal and substitution of nominees undermined the election process.

The commission also firmly rejected the argument that the petition was moot because Duterte Youth had participated and won a seat in the elections, clarifying that there is no prescriptive period for canceling a party-list registration, which is considered a privilege subject to continuous review.

With this ruling, the Comelec has solidified the removal of Duterte Youth from the party-list system, affirming that its registration remains canceled.