The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) was declared by the Commission on Election (Comelec) as the Dominant Majority for the 2022 polls.
The Comelec en banc made the decision despite the pending leadership dispute in the ruling party.
PDP-Laban is currently split between two opposing factions led by Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi and Senator Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao, respectively.
“Pending resolution of the petition…filed by Cusi wing of the PDP-Laban, the PDP-Laban shall be treated as one single political party for purposes of determining the dominant majority party, dominant minority party, and the ten major national party,” the Comelec en banc said in its Resolution No. 10787, which was promulgated last Wed.
In the same issuance, Comelec also declared the Nacionalista Party (NP) as the Dominant Minority Party.
As the Dominant Majority, PDP-Laban will be entitled to the 5th copy of the election returns, and 7th copy of the certificates of canvass.
Both will also get preference in the deployment of election watchers in canvassing and consolidation centers.
Meanwhile, NP will be entitled to the 6th copy of the election returns, and 8th copy of the certificates of canvass as Dominant Minority Party.
The Comelec en banc also declared the 10 major political parties namely, Liberal Party (LP), Aksyon Demokratiko (Aksyon), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Lakas-Christian Muslim Demokrats (Lakas-CMD), Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma (PDR), National Unity Party (NUP), Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Akbayan Citizens Action Party (Akbayan), and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
The said accredited major national parties will get the 9th to the 18th copies of election returns and certificates of canvass .
The Comelec en banc came up with the said designation using criteria it set including history of the political party, number of incumbent elective officials, organized chapters, ability to field a slate of candidates, and the other analogous circumstances.