THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued show cause orders to 102 candidates to explain why they should not be disqualified for engaging in supposed electioneering activities way ahead of the official campaign period for the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
Elections chairman George Garcia said the 102 aspirants have already started posting propaganda materials in public places, which is not allowed until the official campaign period open on October 18.
“All of these candidates will still receive (their) show cause orders despite removal of the paraphernalia,” said Garcia.
Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said they expect the number to further increase as the October 30 polls draws closer.
“Expect the number to increase as complaints come in and the show cause orders roll out,” said Laudiangco, as Garcia said that the show cause orders may lead to filing of charges against the barangay or youth aspirants.
“After their answers, we may file complaints for disqualification and election offenses,” said Garcia.
Laudiangco said there is already one candidate facing disqualification after a petition was filed seeking to cancel his/her certificate of candidacy (COD) due to premature campaigning.
“There is one case grounded on premature campaigning,” he said.
Campaigning activities are prohibited until October 18 as the BSKE campaign period will start only on October 19.
The lone bet facing disqualification due to early campaigning is part of the 160 petitions against BSKE bets filed with the Comelec.
Data shows that, as of September 8, there are already 160 petitions to declare as nuisance candidate, deny due course/cancel COC, and to disqualify.
The number includes 87 docketed petitions filed against barangay and youth bets.
Among the docketed cases are 13 petitions to declare candidates as nuisance candidates, 52 petitions to deny due course/cancel COCs, and 22 petitions to disqualify.
There are also 73 undocketed petitions filed, or those that have soft copies of the petitions but have no hard copies and no payment yet of filing fees.
They include 1 petition to declare as nuisance candidates, 55 petitions to deny due course/cancel COCs, and 17 petitions to disqualify.
