NYPD petitions for Vinluan’s disqualification, ElBo dismisses

News
Lyza Minette Acosta

IN A RESOLUTION posted by the Electoral Board (ElBo) last August 19, the
petition filed by the Natonalist Youth and Progressive Democrats (NYPD) asking for the
disqualification of Ang Pagbabagong Mithi’s candidate, Anne Margarette Vinluan, was
denied.
NYPD claimed that Vinluan’s current positions as the Homeroom President of 1BAC
and as the Scribe of the Student Assembly violated Article IV Section 5 of the Omnibus
Election Code which states that in order to be considered qualified for the Executive Council,
the candidate must not hold any position in any recognized organization in the College of Arts
and Sciences (CAS) during the filing of his or her certificate of candidacy.
On the 17th of August, Ang Pagbabagong Mithi filed their Motion to Dismiss whereas
they contested that Homeroom Officers and the Student Assembly are not recognized
organizations.
Resolution No. 04-1819 further expressed, “The Electoral gives merit to the contention
of the respondent that “recognized organizations” are those entitles that had complied with the
accreditation requirements set forth by OPSA Homeroom organizations and the Student
Assembly are not entities nor institutions that need to comply with the aforementioned
requirements to gain such recognition. Furthermore, the Student Assembly is a mere special
committee created for the purposes of the whole studentry such as the amendment or revision
of the CAS Constitution.”
ElBo also mentioned in its statement that Vinluan did not fail to comply with any
requirements set forth in the Omnibis Election Code regarding her candidacy for this year’s
First Year Batch Representative Elections.
The said election will be held on August 30 from 9am to 5pm at the Bedanet.