A representative in the House challenged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to immediately remove from the list of candidates those who have filed certificates of candidacy (COC) who are really just waiting for the substitution of another personality.
This is the strain of House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate on some running who are not serious about the targeted position due to “fraud” on voters and “harassment” in the 2022 election process.
“Kung tatakbo ka sa halalan dapat ito ay masinsin mong pinag-aralan at pinag-isipan hindi yung parang hinatak ka lang dyan para may pumalit sa ‘yo. Nakakainsulto ito sa mga botante at pinagmumukhang katatawanan ang halalan,” said Zarate.
“We are challenging the Comelec to immediately declare these placeholder candidates as nuisance for making a mockery of the election process and insulting the intelligence of voters. These candidates should even be punished for this election atrocity.”
Some of those who filed the COC have admitted to being placeholders according to their parties, or are actually willing to step back in time to file for “substitution” their replacement before November 15th.
It will be recalled that this is how President Rodrigo Duterte ran for the presidency in the 2016 elections, where he became the last-minute substitute of the previous PDP-Laban candidate and now Interior Undersecretary Martin Dino.
Comelec urged to declare placeholder candidates as nuisance
“We are also calling on the people to reject and junk these types of candidates and parties because they are just taking everyone for a ride,” said Zarate.
The Comelec is now screening the candidates’ COCs and certificates of nomination and acceptance and will determine if they are eligible to run.
An aspirant is considered a nuisance if they:
- No intention to run
- It makes the election a joke
- Wants to confuse the voter
The Comelec will release the initial list of aspirants at the end of October, but in December, it will be finalized who will be put on the ballot.
There is no penalty on nuisance candidates other than removal from the list of official candidates.
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