MANILA, Philippines — The legal counsel of former National Youth Commission (NYC) chairman Ronald Cardema argued that the latter represented the young professionals, and not the youth sector, when he applied for substitution to become the first nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list. “Even if they will argue, perhaps the respondent cannot be classified as youth sector he can be classified as the [young] professional sector,” lawyer George Garcia said during the Commision on Elections (Comelec) en banc hearing on Cardema’s substitution bid. ADVERTISEMENTGarcia was referring to the petitioners’ argument questioning Cardema’s eligibility to represent the youth sector. Lawyer Emilio Marañon, special counsel of the petitioners, said Cardema’s public statements showed that he has been representing the youth sector. “All his public statements he has been representing the youth sector and not the professional sector, he only said he is professional sector in this [substitution] case,” Marañon said during the hearing.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 11, 2019 08:48 UTC