6 Bulacan bets face disqualification

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines  – At least six candidates in this province face disqualification as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) starts investigating their capability to launch a campaign. 

Elmo Duque, Bulacan election supervisor, said the fate of the six independent candidates will be determined by the Comelec law department. 

The six candidates are Ernesto Balite and Jaime Almera, who are running for governor; Sahiron Salim and Joseph Cristobal, who filed their certificates of candidacy for congressman in the first and second districts, respectively; and Jose Cundangan and Carlito Bernabe, provincial board member bets in the first and third districts, respectively.  

Rep. Marivic Alvarado, wife of  Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado filed a petition before the Comelec for the disqualification of Salim.  She said Salim ran outside Bulacan in 2010 and earned a “lamentable” number of votes. 

Salim admitted that he ran for governor in Sulu, but said it is not a ground for disqualification. 

Alvarado will be unopposed if Salim is disqualified. The incumbent governor will also run unopposed if the Comelec will disqualify Almera and Balite.