MORE than 200 individuals who filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for national positions are in danger of being declared as nuisance candidates by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In a televised public briefing, Comelec – Education and Information Department (EID) Assistant Director Elaiza David said motu proprio cases for the declaration as nuisance candidates have been filed against several aspirants for president, vice president and senators.
“For the position of president, 82 petitions have been filed, 15 for vice president, and 108 for those running for senator,” said David.
Comelec records show that 97 individuals have filed their COCs for president, 28 for vice president, and 174 for senator for the May 2022 polls.
Aside from the 205 aspirants, David said data seeking to declare candidates for other positions as nuisance bets are still unavailable.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, the Commission may motu proprio (on its own) or upon a verified petition of an interested party, refuse to give due course to or cancel a certificate of candidacy of a specific candidate.
This is once it is deemed that the COC has been filed to put the election process in mockery or disrepute, or to cause confusion among the voters by the similarity of the names of the registered candidates, or by other circumstances or acts that clearly demonstrate that the candidate has no bona fide intention to run.
Meanwhile, the Comelec yesterday called on government officials and employees, AFP and PNP personnel, as well as members of the media to start applying for the local absentee voting (LAV) for the May 2022 elections.
In a statement, the poll body urged qualified individuals to file their respective applications ahead of the March 7, 2022 deadline.
“The Commission on Elections will begin accepting applications from those qualified to avail of local absentee voting,” said the Comelec.
The LAV forms may already be downloaded from the Comelec website (https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=2022NLE/LocalAbsenteeVoting/LAVForms).
The forms will also be distributed in government offices, AFP and PNP camps, and media entities.
