Party-list groups in the House of Representatives hinted that President Arroyo may deliver her annual State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23 without the presence of sectoral representatives.

Akbayan’s chair emeritus Etta Rosales told a news conference that they will not be surprised if the 20 or so party-list congressmen will be excluded in this year’s SONA because of the failure of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to proclaim them.

“Anything is possible under the leadership of (Comelec Chairman Benjamin) Abalos,” she told The STAR. “Why are they discriminating party-list congressmen? It reflects the flawed and questionable attitude of the Comelec leadership under Abalos.”

This may be so in light of the vacancy of the 12th slot in the Senate, which is still being contested by Juan Miguel Zubiri of Team Unity and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III of the Genuine Opposition.

It was reported that the last winner in the senatorial elections may be proclaimed early next month, or more than a week after the SONA and more than a month after the 14th Congress officially opened on July 1.

Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Akbayan’s only nominee for the 14th Congress, said it hurts them most when they are pushed aside.

“The party-list representation in the Constitution is no longer followed. The application of the law has been very restrictive,” she said.

The delay in their proclamation, said Hontiveros-Baraquel, has already affected the 42 “people’s agenda” measures they plan to re-file immediately, including the bills for compensation for human rights victims and cheaper medicines bills.

“We have been missing a lot. The battle for committee chairmanships and House speakership has been ongoing but we are not part of the discussions. We could not even appoint our staff yet,” said Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) nominee Luis Corral.

Rosales called on the Comelec to proclaim the 20 or so party-list organizations, which met the two percent minimum requirement  needed to have at least a single seat in the House of Representatives.

“Let’s give credit where credit is due,” she said. “It’s a lame excuse that sectoral representatives are not yet proclaimed because the Comelec is still counting the votes for the party-list groups.

”According to the rules, the party–list group that bagged the highest number of votes is entitled to three seats in the House of Representatives while those that will get two percent of the total votes cast for party-list will get one seat.

Based on Comelec’s latest tally last June 29, 12 party-list groups have garnered more than 340,000 votes. The topnotcher is Buhay Hayaan Yumabong (Buhay).

“The two percent should be the guiding principle that should make Comelec decide. These representatives have complied with the threshold. It’s 20 representatives and 16 parties so far,” Rosales said.

“This violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution. This is a deliberate effort on the part of Comelec to marginalize the party-list system of the marginalized and underrepresented,” she added.

Rosales’ and Baraquel’s former colleagues in the House opposition bloc – Joel Villanueva and Teddy Casiño of the Citizen’s Battle Against Corruption and Bayan Muna, respectively – have raised the same concerns.

“What is taking the Comelec so long in proclaiming the winners? Are they waiting for a miracle that would deliver party-list groups identified with Malacañang to win before they proclaim all of us?” asked Villanueva, son of evangelist Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus is Lord movement, who lost to President Arroyo in the May 2004 polls.

Casiño is also sympathetic. “There is a cause for worry. The delay only provides more opportunities for electoral fraud. Comelec should resolve the complaints immediately,” he said.