This Christmas season, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) wishes that the Supreme Court would hasten its decision process on the disallowed party-list groups seeking for candidacy in the May 2013 elections through the High Tribunal.

Dressed as a Santa Claus complete with white beard, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. appealed to the high court to make the decision over the disqualified party-list groups quicker and hopefully it comes out before the reconfiguration of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines on January 11.

“Supreme Court, bilis-bilisan niyo nang mag-dismiss. Wag na kayong mag-issue ng SQAO [make the dismissal of cases faster. Do not issue SQA (status quo ante order) any more],” Brillantes told reporters.

A status quo ante order is issued by the High Court retains an existing party-list’s right to run in the next elections. So far, there were 33 party-list groups who sought the order. New party-lists who sought the order would not be included in the official ballot since ‘status quo’ means that they remain as an applicant; however, those who secured mandatory injunction would be allowed to run.

The poll chief said that the disqualification of Kabalikat ng Bayan para sa Kaunlaran party-list is a good sign that the court finally understood what the poll body did in cleaning the party-list system. The Court ruled that there is no “abuse of discretion” by the Comelec.

“Apparently, when the Supreme Court started to review, naintindihan na nila kung ano yung ginawa namin [they have grasped what we have done],” Brillantes said.

Brillantes noted that a political party can run under the party-list system provided that it is part of the marginalized sector and represent a particular sector in the society.