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Comelec to resolve 'nuisance candidate' cases within November

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17293010878741729301083572.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Commission on Elections on September 30, 2024 inspect the venue in Manila for the filing of Certificates of Candidacy for aspiring senators and party-list representatives for the 2025 Midterm Elections beginning on October 1. <em id="isPasted">Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The 117 applicants for candidacy for senator who were not included in the partial list of qualified bets </p><p>will have the chance to argue their case before the Commission on Elections, its chairperson George Garcia said.</p><p>The Omnibus Election Code authorizes the Comelec, on its own or due to a verified petition, to refuse or to cancel the candidacies of aspirants to ensure the integrity and dignity of the polls, or those who are considered &quot;nuisance candidates&quot;.</p><p>Applicants can address allegations of being nuisance candidates before the commission’s two divisions, with a chance to appeal the decision before the Comelec en banc.</p><p>“Kinakailangan ‘yung mga nuisance canddiate natatanggal sa balota upang hindi rin magkakaroon ng problema ang Comelec later o kaya naman nakakagulo, nakakalito sa ating mga kababayan kapag namimili na ng iboboto,” Garcia said on TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Saturday.</p><p>(We need to keep nuisance candidates from the ballots so the Comelec will not have problems later on and to keep out applicants who might cause confusion for voters)</p><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABOrNU5PfaA572k-&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script></div><p>He said the commission aims to resolve all petitions against supposed nuisance candidates within November to prepare a final list of candidates so the printing of ballots can proceed by the end of December.</p><p>Election day for the midterm polls is on May 12, 2025.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/17/comelec-receives-246-petitions-against-halalan-2025-aspirants-1625">READ: Comelec receives 246 petitions against Halalan 2025 aspirants</a></div><div><strong>WHAT ARE NUISANCE CANDIDATES?</strong></div><p>Aspirants running under a name similar to that of another candidate could be declared nuisance candidates under the Omnibus Election Code if shown that they are running to cause confusion and to subtract votes from the other candidate.</p><p>“Minsan, ‘yung maling kandidato yung naipoproklama… Lalo na kung ito ay kaparehas na pangalan,” Garcia said.</p><p>(Sometimes the wrong candidate is proclaimed the winner, especially if there is a similarity in names)</p><p>He said that some aspirants have no real intention to run for office and file their certificates of candidacy as a joke.</p><p>Garcia said that aside from the COC and supporting documents filed by aspiring candidates, the Comelec will also check their backgrounds, their social media accounts as well as media interviews to check whether they are serious about running for public office.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/16/matula-wants-quiboloy-disqualified-from-senatorial-race-2043">READ: Matula wants Quiboloy disqualified from senatorial race</a></div><p>Other aspirants may have disputes with the political party they filed to be candidates under, which, Garcia said, the commission could also look into.</p><p>“Wala po kaming dineklara na sila ay dapat makasama o hindi makasama dahil lang sa kahirapan, kawalan ng pera, kawalan ng resources para mag-wage ng tinatawag na kampanya,” he said, referring to the 66 applicants whom the commission has already declared qualified to be candidates for senator.</p><p>(We did not include or exclude anyone because of poverty, lack of funds, or lack of resources to wage an election campaign) <strong>— Jonathan de Santos, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/6/festiveness-families-citizens-frustrations-mark-start-of-election-season-1732">WRAP: Festiveness, families, citizens&#x27; frustrations mark start of election season</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HnptYkUBmwI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Applicants can address allegations of being nuisance candidates before the commission’s two divisions, with a chance to appeal the decision before the Comelec en banc.</p>

Applicants can address allegations of being nuisance candidates before the commission’s two divisions, with a chance to appeal the decision before the Comelec en banc.