“What should be done is not to abolish the party-list system, but to jettison its proliferation as a tool of the economic-political elite, major political parties and other groups and regional aggrupation which do not have any claim to marginalization,” he said.

Lagman said the Commission on Elections should explain why it is allowing the trivialization of the party-list system.

“Moreover, the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the apportionment of party-list representation must be reviewed to make it consistent with the formula provided in the party-list law,” he added.

Former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares said it was the Comelec and the SC that allowed the rich and the powerful to elect their representatives in Congress through the party-list system.

“I agree with President Rody that the party-list has been abused but the solution is to cleanse it instead of scrapping it,” he said.

Colmenares said the party-list law has to be amended to introduce reforms in the representation of marginal sectors in the legislature.

“Genuine pro-people party-list groups have considerably contributed to checking abuse and corruption in government. What is needed is to amend the law to ensure that seats allotted for the party-list system are not taken by fake groups from the rich and the powerful,” Colmenares said.

Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz said the spirit of the party-list law to allow representation of marginalized sectors in the House of Representatives was diluted when the Comelec relaxed the strict screening of party-list groups.

Since the law was enacted in 1995, party-list representatives have been among the most active and productive members of Congress.

De la Cruz said some of the prominent party-list representatives are now occupying cabinet posts under the Duterte administration. Among the former party-list congressmen are Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano and Liza Maza of the National Poverty Commission.

“Many of the laws passed have been authored and shepherded by party-listers” De la Cruz said.

On Friday, the President lamented that party-list representation has become a “mockery of the law.”

“I will not allow it… it is being abused… only moneyed people win. Representing what? The security guards?” he asked. – With Edith Regalado, Perseus Echeminada