G.R. No. 203766.

April 2, 2013
ATONG PAGLAUM, INC., represented by its President, Mr. Alan Igot, petitioner, vs.
COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, respondent

FACTS:
In line with the then upcoming national elections in May 2013, approximately 280
groups and organizations manifested their desire to participate in the party-list elections.
However, 52 of these groups were subsequently disqualified by COMELEC, including
some that were duly registered and accredited as political parties. The reasons for their
exclusion were based on the contention that said groups failed to establish they were
representatives of marginalized and underrepresented sectors and that their nominees
were indeed members of the sectors they were seeking to represent.

ISSUE:
Whether or not COMELEC erred in disqualifying 52 party list groups from participating
in the May 2013 elections

RULING:
No, the COMELEC cannot be faulted for following prevailing jurisprudence set forth by
the SC in its earlier rulings in disqualifying petitioners. for purposes of setting uniform
standards and understanding of the party-list system in the Philippines, the Court
provides a lengthy account of the history and dynamics of the party-list system as
embodied in the 1987 Constitution and as envisioned by the Framers, and institutes
new guidelines to be used in resolving issues of similar nature in the future.