Drilon: Unethical for candidates to join canvassing committee

MANILA, Philippines – Senate president and senator-elect Franklin Drilon said that it is unethical for a candidate, who’s also a member of the House of Representatives, to join the canvassing committee for the 2016 elections.

Drilon said that even the candidates or House members who have conceded or related to another presidential or vice presidential bet may not be allowed to participate in the canvassing committee due to conflict of interest.

“It is not ethical and you will have a conflict of interest if you are a candidate and you sit in the canvass. That cannot be, that cannot be proper. For example, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano can't sit in the canvass as well as Sens. Grace (Poe), Chiz (Escudero),” Drilon said in an ambush interview.

“Kahit nagconcede. For example, si Sen. Nancy (Binay) I think would have to take a good look at the situation because she is the daughter of (Vice President Jejomar) Binay. It depends on them, but then we consider the circumstance,” he added.

Drilon said there are no exact number of members of the canvassing committee yet as the Senate and House of Representatives are set to convene as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) on Tuesday, May 24 to discuss the rules of the canvassing.

“I don't want to preempt what will be in the rules. The number of committee members will be in the rules...” Drilon said.

A report from the STAR, however, mentioned that once the rules are approved by the NBOC, they will form a canvassing committee composed of eight members each from the Senate and the House with five alternatives each.

Meanwhile, Drilon clarified that the Commission on Elections no longer has responsibility for the canvassing of election results for president and vice president since both houses are mandated to proclaim both.