Comelec extends deadline on petition vs nuisance bets

MANILA, Philippines — Petitions to declare a political aspirant as a nuisance candidate can be filed from Oct. 14 to 16, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared.

“The Commission en banc approved the extension of the deadline for the filing of Petitions Against Nuisance Candidates from Monday, Oct. 14 2024, to Wednesday, Oct. 16 2024, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” said the Comelec in a public notice.

The deadline has been extended due to the work suspension in Manila and Pasay cities on Oct. 14 and 15 as announced by Malacañang to make way for the country’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

“There are two ways in which a candidate can be declared nuisance. One is when a political rival files (a petition against the person) and number two, when the Comelec, motu proprio, declares a particular candidate as a nuisance,” said Garcia.

Under the Omnibus Election Code, the Comelec may, upon a verified petition of an interested party, refuse to give due course to or cancel a certificate of candidacy (COC), and declare the filer as a nuisance candidate.

The law said this shall be the case when a COC has been filed “to put the election process in mockery or disrepute or to cause confusion among the voters by the similarity of the names of the registered candidates” as well as other acts that clearly demonstrate that the aspirant has “no bona fide intention to run for the office.”