MANILA, Philippines — Senators are seeking to ban the substitution of an electoral aspirant who voluntarily withdraws candidacy in any forthcoming election.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian filed a bill banning the option to substitute an electoral aspirant who voluntarily withdraws candidacy in any forthcoming election. Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri, Senators Nancy Binay, Grace Poe and Joel Villanueva are co-authors of the bill.
While the Omnibus Election Code allows substitution to replace an official candidate of a registered or accredited political party who dies, is disqualified for any cause or withdraws from the electoral race, Gatchalian pointed out that the last has been abused over the years and is observed as a mockery of the process of filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs).
In seeking to amend the Omnibus Election Code, Gatchalian proposed the replacement of a candidate if the original aspirant becomes incapacitated.
“The ballot is sacred. So we should appreciate the candidacy offered every election. It is a privilege to serve the people so the personality first chosen by the party should have the conviction to run, ”Gatchalian said in Filipino.
“The intention of the law is clear. This is to make our elections smoother and more transparent. It’s being abused by others. When you file, that’s it, it must not be changed. You will only be replaced if you die or if you are disqualified,” he added.
The rationale in limiting the grounds for substitution, the senator explained, is aimed at further strengthening and institutionalizing the political party system and leveling the electoral playing field in the country.
Gatchalian further pointed out that before any official filing of COCs, political parties often observe a vetting process, assessing and ascertaining the qualifications of their members which include the willingness, sincerity and commitment to be the party representative for the contended elective position before they are nominated to be the standard-bearers for local and national positions.
Considering that the country has an election cycle of three years for local positions and six years for national positions, political parties have sufficient time to nominate and select their respective candidates, Gatchalian stressed.
Under the rules laid down by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for next year’s elections, the substitute of an aspirant or official candidate of a duly registered political party or coalition who died, withdrew his or her candidacy or was disqualified may file a COC on or before Nov. 15, 2021. No substitution due to withdrawal shall be allowed after that date.
The same Comelec resolution says that the substitute for a candidate who died or was disqualified by a final judgment may file a COC up to noon of election day, May 9, 2022, provided that the substitute and the original candidate have the same surnames.