Youth groups led by Kabataan Tayo Ang Pag-asa (KTAP), an election watchdog group, filed an appeal to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to immediately rule on the disqualification case against the Duterte Youth Party-list. They filed a “Motion to Resolve” as various groups had submitted petitions for the disqualification of the pro-Duterte party to the agency back in 2019.

Those who filed the appeal include the original petitioners such as Millenials PH’s AR Angcos, representatives of the National Union of Students of the Philippines, College Editors Guild of the Philippines, some representatives of the Sangguniang Kabataan, student councils and other youth organizations. Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel was also among the petitioners.

The disqualification case was filed on the grounds of (1) lack of proper registration as a party in the party-list system at Comelec, (2) failure to meet some other legal requirements to be recognized as a party in the said system, (3) and actions showing that they do not represent the youth such as the attempt to include former National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Ronald Cardema, a rabid Duterte lackey, who was already 34 years old in 2019. Comelec rules stipulate that those who can represent the youth should only be 30 years old and below.

The Kabataan Party-list expressed support because they say the case should have long been closed to prevent the bogus partylist from taking office and wasting public funds. “The agenda being pushed by the Duterte Youth PL is very clearly not the interests of the youth but of the Duterte dynasty itself,” the party said.

Currently serving as the Duterte Youth Party-list representative in the 19th Congress is Cardema’s wife, Drixie Mae Cardema. Various organizations have previously noted Drixie’s weak performance as a representative in Congress. Her few proposals and frequent absences from important meetings and hearings are very evident.

Youth groups also condemned the Duterte Youth Party-list as one of the parties supported by the oppressive National Task Force-Elcac, the agency implementing the government’s counterinsurgency campaign. The party also serves as one of the machinery of the said agency for widespread “red-tagging” and vilification campaigns against progressive lawmakers and organizations.

“We call on the youth to unite and ensure our true voice in Congress,” according to the Kabataan Party-list. The sole youth party in Congress demands that politicians not be allowed and permitted to exploit the sector to enter the party-list system for personal interests.

They added the need to fight the perversion of the partylist system to ensure that oppressed Filipinos are given a voice instead of just a few dynasties. In the 2025 election, no less than 78 out of 156 party-lists running are held and controlled by families and dynasties in politics.