Duterte Youth remains mired in controversy amid fake surname question

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said that Drixie Cardema, Duterte Youth’s first nominee for the 2025 party-list elections, should not have used the surname of her brother-in-law, former party-list leader Ronald Cardema, in her Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA).

Comelec chairperson George Garcia explained during the agency’s 2026 budget deliberations that the surname has no legal basis for use.

“She should not have used the surname of her in-law because that is not her family name. The claim that it was a stage name also does not apply, since it is not one,” Garcia said in a mix of Filipino and English.

In June, Garcia said the poll body would ask Drixie Mae to explain social media claims that her real surname is Suarez, not Cardema.

At the time, Garcia stressed that the Comelec issued a show cause order on its own initiative to give her a formal venue to respond. He also warned that if proven false, the declaration could constitute perjury and an election offense.

Last week, the poll body canceled the registration of the Duterte Youth party-list over its failure to meet mandatory requirements of publication and hearing related to its 2019 candidacy.