The Commission on Elections called on the lawmakers to criminalize nuisance candidacies as the poll body disposes 6 million wasted ballots following a Supreme Court ruling halting the disqualification of several bets.
“We should criminalize nuisance candidacies,” Comelec chairman George Garcia told dzBB on Saturday. “Every election, there are candidates running with the same names as their rivals to make the election a mockery or to confuse the people.”
“It was already proposed in the 18th Congress – either imprisonment or fine of P500,000 and perpetual disqualification to hold public office,” he said.
Garcia said the Omnibus Election Code should also be updated, citing a disconnect given that the elections are automated while the rules governing the polls are still for manual elections.
However, Garcia acknowledged no one can stop the Supreme Court from issuing a temporary remedy.
“We respect the Supreme Court and the rule of law,” he said.
In a separate statement, Comelec said it would comply with the latest temporary restraining orders issued by the Supreme Court involving local candidates for the May 12 elections.
Comelec said the names of Marie Grace David, Mary Dominique Oñate and Aldrin Sta. Ana will now be included in the official ballots, as reprinting begins next week.
David is running for vice mayor of Limay, Bataan; Oñate for mayor of Palompon, Leyte; and Sta. Ana for mayor of Bocaue, Bulacan.
The Comelec has since implemented contingency measures, including amending the candidate database and rescheduling the Trusted Build of the AES, which will take place on January 20 at the Palacio del Gobernador main office in Intramuros, Manila.
New ballot templates will be generated and serialized at the Comelec warehouse at Laguna Technopark Annex in Biñan City on Jan. 21.