MANILA, Philippines — Election lawyer and Otso Diretso senatorial candidate Romulo Macalintal Monday said the nominees of the Duterte Youth party-list might face a criminal case for resigning to pave way for the substitution of National Youth Commission Chair Ronald Cardema. The poll lawyer was acting to reports that Cardema filed the petition after all five of the party-list’s nominees “backed out.” The nominees reportedly withdrew to pave way for Cardema’s substitution. Duterte Youth, of which Cardema is the national chair, originally listed his wife Ducielle Marie Suarez as its first nominee. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez on Friday also said that the period for substitution had “lapsed.”READ: Cardema as sudden Duterte Youth nominee? Aside from the rules on the period of filing for substitution, Cardema’s plea is also being questioned for his age.

Source: Philippine Star May 20, 2019 08:03 UTC