The Supreme Court has sided with the camp of lawyer Argel Cabatbat and declared that he is the rightful representative of Magsasaka Partylist.
In its decision, the High Court said that respondent Soliman Villamin Jr. cannot be considered the representative of the partylist as he was already removed as Magsasaka’s National Chairperson.
Moreover, the SC said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should have denied its due course as Villamin misrepresented himself as the national chairperson of MIP.
“This Court finds that the COMELEC gravely abused its discretion when it focused on purely procedural matters and disregarded the suhstantive issues raised by MAGSASAKA in the proceedings below, refused to acknowledge established party practice, and substituted its mandate over that of MAGSASAKA, thereby unlawfully instituting Villamin as its National Chairperson,” SC said in its decision.
The High Court said that since Villamin was no longer the National Chairperson of Magsasaka, his nominee, Roberto Gerard L. Nazal Jr., could not have been validly proclaimed as Magsasaka’s Partylist Representative in the House of Representatives.
“Ang may-ari ng Magsasaka Partylist ay ang mga Magsasakang Pilipino, kaya ang pagkapanalo sa Supreme Court ay pagkapanalo ng mga lahat ng ating Magsasaka,” Cabatbat said in a statement.
MIP had filed a petition for Certiorari with Application for Issuance of Writ of Preliminary Injunction, Status Quo Ante and/or Temporary Restraining Order, which the court granted.
While the case was pending, Cabatbat on his personal capacity continued to provide assistance for Filipino farmers and ensured their welfare and livelihood.
He helped Ilocano farmers in Amai to reach Malacañang to address their concerns as they were expelled from their places.
Cabatbat also helped report to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) the killing of the farmers in Siaton, Negros Oriental and the bulldozing of their houses.
With assistance from Cabatbat, farmer lands in Coron, Palawan and the lagoon belonging to the Tagbanua indigenous people, which a foreigner had attempted to claim ownership of, were successfully released.
Cabatbat also took a stand against Executive Order No. 62 before the Supreme Court, challenging the reduction of tariffs on imported rice, which threatened to drive local farmers into financial hardship.
