Two days have passed since the resignation of Representative Nathaniel Oducado, but the House of Representatives has yet to officially declare a vacancy for the 1Tahanan party-list before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Comelec Awaits Official Communication
In a media forum, Comelec Chairman George Garcia stated that they have not yet taken action on the 1Tahanan party-list case. "As of yesterday, we have not received any official communication from the House of Representatives," Garcia said. "This is regarding the declaration of vacancy and the request that we provide a new certificate of proclamation," he added.
Contrast with Pinoy Workers Party-List
In contrast, the commission, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), proclaimed on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, the new representative of the Pinoy Workers party-list in the House of Representatives, just two days after the resignation of Representative Franz Vincent Legazpi.
During a simple ceremony at the Comelec Session Hall, the NBOC proclaimed Karl Josef Legazpi as the new Pinoy Workers party-list representative. "We, the chairman and Commissioners of the Commission on Elections, sitting en banc as the National Board of Canvassers for the Party-List System in the Automated National and Local Elections of May 12, 2025, do hereby proclaim Pinoy Workers Party-list as having obtained the required percentage of votes under the party-list system of representation to entitle its qualified nominee, namely: Karl Josef Legazpi, to sit as representative to the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Philippines, and to serve for a term of three years, ending on June 30, 2028," said the NBOC.
Nominee Not in Original List
Karl Josef Legazpi was proclaimed despite not being in the original list of nominees submitted by the Pinoy Workers party-list to the commission prior to the May 2025 polls. In a phone interview, Garcia explained that there are no more available nominees from the original list. "They expelled the original nominees because they formed a new PL and became officers of that new PL," the official said.
Garcia issued the statement following the announcement of Oducado and Legazpi's resignations last Monday at the Lower House.
Vote Totals from May 2025 Polls
In the May 2025 elections, the Pinoy Workers party-list garnered a total of 475,985 votes, while the 1Tahanan party-list received 309,761 votes. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
