547 bets running unopposed

MANILA, Philippines — Over 500 candidates are running without opponents in the upcoming midterm polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced yesterday.

Official ballot templates posted on the Comelec website showed that 547 candidates seeking public office are unchallenged in the polls.

Of the number, 46 bets are seeking seats in the House of Representatives. There are nine candidates for governor and 18 for vice governor.

The poll body said there are 211 candidates for city and municipal mayors and 263 aspirants for city and municipal vice mayors.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said having no opponents in an election does not automatically assure candidates of victory.

“We are a first-past-the-post system. Meaning, you have to get the most number of votes cast in an election,” he said. “If no votes are cast, even an unopposed candidate will have no basis for winning.”

Rona Caritos, executive director of Legal Network for Truthful Elections or LENTE, said having unopposed candidates is a “difficult aspect of the elections” because voters lack choices.