By DARLENE CAY
(UPDATED) THE Commission on Elections decided on Monday to suspend the proclamation of winners in areas where petitions have been filed against candidates who are considered nuisance, are unregistered voters or have been convicted.
Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the move was needed because the poll body lacks time to resolve all the issues during the short election period.
The election period in village polls lasts only 45 days compared to 120 days for other elections. It started on Sept. 28 and will end on Nov. 12.
Comelec reported eight nuisance petitions. Under the Omnibus Election Code, the poll body may cancel a certificate of candidacy if it is shown that it was filed to “put the election process in mockery, or disrepute or to cause confusion among voters by the similarity of the names of the registered candidates.”
“Baka manalo ‘yung nuisance candidates e (The nuisance candidates might win),” Brillantes said.
As of 7:00 p.m. today, there were 62 reports of nuisance petitions, while over 400 reports of candidates who were not registered.
“If you are not a registered voter, then you are not eligible to run. You are not eligible to run,”the Comelec chair said.
Also, there have been seven cases of candidates whose convictions are executory, but not yet final.
So far, there are 500 reports whose petitions may be initiated by the poll body. These will then be taken up in an en banc session of the commissioners.
Section 68 of the Omnibus Election Code states that any candidate who has been found guilty by a “competent court” may be disqualified by the Commission.
Brillantes said that for candidates whose convictions have been decided to be executory but not yet final, the proclamation will be suspended.
Comelec may initiate petitions against candidates whose convictions are already final and executory.
The poll body did not identify the areas where the petitions are pending.
