The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) will release the certificates of candidacy (COCs) on its website to raise public awareness about the identities of candidates for the 2025 national and local elections.
COMELEC Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said during the information drive in Puerto Princesa City that only the information mandated by Section 74 of the Omnibus Election Code will be included in the copy of the COC to be posted on its website.
It will be the first time in the country’s election process that the Commission’s response to concerns of misrepresentation after the issue involving Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, according to COMELEC.
“Kung ano ‘yong niri-require ng batas sa section 74 ng Omnibus Election Code, yon ang ilalagay namin sa website. Para ‘yong mga kababayan natin ay pwede mag-question, pwede mag-file ng petition sa COMELEC laban sa kandidato,” he said.
He reiterated that COMELEC is mandated to accept all COCs and remove candidates confirmed as nuisances.
However, candidacies of aspirants with issues related to age, citizenship, literacy, or residency can only be canceled by filing a petition with the Commission.
In Guo’s case, no one petitioned, questioned, or opposed her candidacy after filing in October 2021 for the 2022 elections.
About 500,000 aspirants are filing for their candidacies every midterm election, which prompts the need for the Commission to request candidates provide additional documents to support their qualifications, such as birth certificates.
However, COMELEC has no power to add qualifications that are not stated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Garcia said.
“Sabi ng Korte Suprema, walang kapangyarihan ang COMELEC na magdag ng kwalipikasyon na wala naman sa Saligang Batas kaya wala kaming magagawa,” he said.
Individuals who will be convicted of election offenses such as misrepresentation will not be able to avail themselves of pardon without the consent of the Commission, he added.
“Kahit gusto ng pinakamataas na opisyal ng pamahalaan na magbigay ng pardon, hindi mabibigay ‘yan kung wala kaming consent. At hindi kami basta-basta magbibigay ng walang consent kung ang winalanghiya ay demokrasiya natin at boto ng sambayanan,” said Garcia. (RG/PIA Mimaropa-Palawan)
