EDITORIAL: Political Tantrums

IN the latest chapter of post-election drama, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel has rightly called out the antics of former Duterte Youth Rep. Ronald Cardema for what they are: desperate meltdowns designed to strong-arm the Commission on Elections (Comelec) into prematurely proclaiming their group as one of the party-list winners.

Cardema, a political appointee under the Duterte administration and a known ally of the former president, took to the stage recently not to present facts, but to peddle disinformation and accuse the Comelec of “unequal treatment.”

His outrage, however, conveniently omits a crucial detail: the legal cloud hanging over Duterte Youth’s legitimacy as a party-list organization.

While the group indeed placed second in the recent party-list elections, the Comelec’s decision to defer their proclamation is neither arbitrary nor unfair.

It stems from unresolved legal questions—including a 2019 petition that challenges the group’s very registration. Central to that petition is Cardema’s nomination at age 34, well beyond the age limit of 30 for youth sector nominees. Rules are clear, and this violation cannot be brushed aside by political theatrics or victimhood narratives.

Rather than confronting these legal challenges with humility and respect for due process, Cardema appears intent on bending the rules through public pressure and political leverage.

His outbursts, now being called out by Rep. Manuel, reveal a disturbing sense of entitlement: that association with power entitles one to special treatment.

But the rule of law does not—and must not—bend to political convenience.

The real issue here is not whether Comelec is treating Duterte Youth unfairly, but why this group was allowed to run in previous elections despite serious questions about its qualifications. Rep. Manuel’s point is sobering: real politicking is using one’s proximity to power to evade accountability.

The Comelec must stand firm in its mandate to protect the integrity of our elections. If Duterte Youth’s credentials are questionable, then the public deserves clarity before any seat is awarded. This is not persecution; it is due diligence.

In a democracy, rules apply to all—whether one carries the name of a populist president or not. No amount of press conferences or finger-pointing will change that.