Commission on Elections Chairperson George Garcia | PHOTO: INQUIRER.net file photo / NOY MORCOSO
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Friday that there are already five petitions filed so far to cancel the candidacies of aspirants for the 2025 local posts.
According to Comelec Chairperson George Garcia, these aspirants had already been declared perpetually disqualified from holding public office by the Office of the Ombudsman.
“There have been petitions filed, and the Comelec law department and Comelec clerk of court have received five petitions to cancel candidacies because they are perpetually disqualified from holding public office,” said Garcia in straight Filipino during an ambush interview.
Garcia also said that the Comelec clerk of court would endorse the petitions to the law department for Comelec en banc to apply appropriate actions.
“This will be endorsed by the clerk of court to the Comelec law department so that the Comelec law department can provide a recommendation to the Comelec en banc on what to do about candidates who are perpetually disqualified from holding public office,” Garcia said in Filipino.
Article continues after this advertisement
READ: Comelec to accept Guo’s COC but cites 3 grounds for disqualification
Article continues after this advertisement
Garcia previously said that they would accept the certificate of candidacy (COC) of dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo (real name: Guo Hua Ping) but the poll body said that the situation applies to anyone whose case is similar to Guo.
Further, the poll body chief explained that Comelec has three existing grounds to cancel an aspirant’s COC such as declaration as a nuisance candidate; a petition to cancel COC due to age, citizenship, and registration as a voter among others and a decision from the Office of the Ombudsman perpetually disqualifying an aspirant.
Meanwhile, the poll body chief added that they have already received petitions to declare a nuisance candidate.
“Tatandaan po natin na ‘yung paraan po para madeklara na nuisance candidate: una magfafile na kalaban na kandidato; number two, ang Comelec mismo moto proprio ay pwedeng magdeklara ng nuisance candidate,” Garcia explained.
(Let’s remember that there are ways to declare nuisance candidate: one, an opponent files [the petition]; number two, the Comelec, moto proprio, can declare a nuisance candidate.)
Garcia also noted that they are identifying which of the 183 senatorial aspirants can be declared nuisance candidates by exercising their right.
An aspirant may be declared a “nuisance” based on the following grounds:
- The COC was filed in mockery or disrepute of the elections;
- The COC causes confusion among voters due to the similarity of names with other candidates; and
- If the candidate has no genuine intention to run for the office
The Comelec chief reminded that filing of nuisance candidate petitions is only until October 13, five days after the last day of the filing of certificate of candidacy.
READ: Initial 66 bets OK’d for Senate race in 2025
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
Garcia also shared that there are already 66 out of 183 senatorial aspirants whose names are confirmed to appear in the ballots for the 2025 elections.
