Eyebrows were raised after actor Bryan Revilla, a party-list nominee, claimed that his fellow Agimat nominees have left their positions prior to the proclamation of the Commission on Election.
Revilla, the firstborn of congresswoman-elect Lani Revilla (Cavite, Second District) and Sen. Bong Revilla, was spotted at the proclamation ceremony of party-lists that won the May elections on Thursday, May 25.
The Comelec on Thursday gave out certificates of proclamation to 55 party-list groups whose nominees will soon sit as lawmakers in the House of Representatives.
Revilla, the fifth nominee of the Agimat party-list, said that it was after the elections that his fellow nominees quit.
“Bale fifth nominee po ako na lumalabas diyan eh, then everything was filed before…” he said, confirming that he just stepped up in the ranks following the supposed resignation of their nominees.
Describing his group, Bryan said Agimat aims to help Filipinos, bring back jobs and livelihoods that were lost during the COVID-19 pandemic and tackle concerns about the minimum wage.
Past news reports, however, reported him as the party-list’s first nominee.
His recent comments raised some eyebrows on local Twitter.
“5th nominee pala (siya) eh halos lahat ng campaign ads silang mag-ama ‘yung naka-display,” a Filipino commented.
“Hindi pa pala ‘to first nominee, eh mukha niya lang nakalagay sa pubmats (publication materials),” another Twitter user observed.
“He’s the 5th nominee tapos nag-resign daw ‘yung 1st 4 after election. HOW CONVENIENT,” a different online user wrote with a clown emoji.
Party-list nominees are only allowed to withdraw until November 15, 2021, according to acting Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco.
Substitutions from Nov. 16, 2021 until May 9, 2022, the election day, will only be accepted in the event of the nominee’s death and/or incapacity.
A look at Agimat’s Facebook page reveals that it has been acknowledging Bryan as its “first nominee” prior to the elections.
On May 1, it featured a meet-and-greet of the party-list which had a tarpaulin bearing both his and his father’s faces.
Bryan will be accompanied by his father Bong, who sits in the Senate, and his mother, who will sit with him in the House of Representatives.
He will also be accompanied by his brother Jolo, who won the congressional seat for Cavite’s first district.
