Vendors Party-list of ‘Diwata’ Faces Cancellation of Registration

Poll watchdog group Kontra Daya filed a formal petition on Tuesday, urging the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cancel the registration of the Vendors Party-list for allegedly misrepresenting its nominees and violating provisions of the Party-list System Act.

In its verified complaint, Kontra Daya cited Section 6 of Republic Act No. 7941 and Comelec Resolution No. 9366, arguing that the Vendors Party-list—officially registered as Vendors Samahan ng mga Maninindang Pilipino (VENDORS)—fails to meet the criteria of a legitimate regional sectoral organization. The complaint also pointed out a violation of Article XIII, Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution, which safeguards social justice and the rights of the marginalized.

Danilo Arao, Kontra Daya convenor, said their review revealed that the first three nominees of the party-list do not come from the vendor or marginalized sectors they claim to represent. “They all own businesses and are not part of the underrepresented communities the party-list system was designed to empower,” Arao told reporters.

Arao noted that the Vendors Party-list is one of 86 groups flagged in a Kontra Daya study for failing to genuinely represent the poor. The study found that some party-lists are linked to political dynasties, big businesses, or have nominees with pending corruption cases, ties to the military or police, or vague and questionable advocacies.

Kontra Daya included a radio interview in its complaint where the first nominee, Malou Lipana, admitted to being president of Olympus Mining and Builders Group Philippines Corporation, which has contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The second nominee, Florencio Pesigan, was identified as a PR specialist and owner of an advertising agency, and has been suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for misconduct during his time as a city councilor. The third nominee, Sheryl Sendil, reportedly owns a hardware and construction supplies business.

Arao stressed that allowing such a party-list to gain congressional seats would be a blow to authentic sectoral representation. “It’s a mockery of the Party-list System Act. They should be disqualified,” he said.

Internet personality Deo Balbuena, better known as Diwata of Diwata Pares Overload fame, is the fourth nominee. However, the party-list system only allows a maximum of three congressional seats, making his nomination largely symbolic in this case.