DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has officially certified the cancellation of the party-list registration of Duterte Youth, declaring the decision final and executory as of September 30, 2025.
In its Certificate of Finality and Entry of Judgment, COMELEC affirmed its earlier August 29, 2025 ruling, which denied the group’s Motion for Reconsideration and upheld the cancellation of its registration.
The poll body cited multiple violations, including:
- Untruthful statements on the eligibility of its nominees
- Lack of genuine intent to represent the youth sector
- Advocacy of violence and unlawful means
- Institutional ties to the National Youth Commission
- Violations of election laws and procedures
- Actions that “mock and undermine” the integrity of the party-list system
Comelec also noted the party-list’s irregularity in the 2019 midterm elections when all its nominees filed mass withdrawal to give way for the substitution of its president Ronald Cardema, despite he’s being over-age as a youth representative and was serving in government as National Youth Commission Chairperson at that time.
With the decision now final, Duterte Youth is permanently disqualified from participating in future elections under the party-list system.
The party-list earned controversy for red-tagging party-lists under the Makabayan Coalition, and as its name suggests, has sided with former President Rodrigo Duterte in the light of his arrest and trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC).(davaotoday.com)
