POLL lawyer Romulo Macalintal yesterday scored the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) allowing Yedda Romualdez to assume the post as the third nominee of the Tingog party-list in the 20th Congress despite having served for three straight terms as a member of the House of Representatives.
In a radio interview, Macalintal wondered why Romuladez, the wife of former Speaker Martin Romualdez, would be allowed another term as congresswoman when she has already represented the 1st District of Leyte from 2016 to 2019 and as Tingog party-list representative from 2019 to 2025.
“In the interpretation of the Comelec, it is a different term. That is probably why they allowed her to assume the post, because they believe her stint as district representative does not count (in the three-term limit),” said Macalintal.
“It is like we are making a mockery of the electoral process, that it appears very easy to circumvent the provisions of our laws,” he added.
Under the 1987 Constitution, “no member of the House of Representatives shall serve for more than three consecutive terms.”
Macalintal warned that such a decision is likely to allow future cases of lawmakers shifting from being district representatives to party-list nominees, and vice versa, to avoid the three-term limit rule.
“The law’s intent is to really limit their terms… This may, however, become a precedent,” said Macalintal.
He said he believes it would be best if the case were brought before the Supreme Court (SC) or the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).
He said any registered voter or taxpayer may bring the case before the SC or HRET to have a definitive rule on the matter.
“We must have a definite rule on this issue. If this reaches the SC or HRET, we will now have a basis for how to handle similar situations,” said Macalintal.
Earlier, the Comelec declared Yedda Romualdez as the third nominee of Tingog party-list despite originally being the sixth nominee of the group.
This means that Yedda will join her son, Rep. Andrew Romualdez (1st nominee), and Rep. Jude Acidre (2nd nominee) as Tingog representatives in the 20th Congress.
