Comelec asks bets facing disqualification to answer charges

MANILA, Philippines - The question of whether the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will allow candidates from “political dynasties” to run in the coming May elections will be known soon.

The Comelec yesterday ordered candidates facing disqualification for allegedly belonging to political dynasties to answer the charges against them.

Comelec’s second division presiding officer Elias Yusoph said the case is deemed submitted for resolution within five days, “with or without the memorandum from the respondents.”

Anti-political dynasty advocates earlier sought the disqualification of six candidates, namely Rodrigo Duterte, mayoral candidate of Davao City; Dennis Pineda, vice gubernatorial candidate of Pampanga; Miguel and Luis Villafuerte, both gubernatorial candidates of Camarines Sur, and Valenzuela Rep. Rex Gatchalian, mayoral candidate and brother Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, congressional candidate of Valenzuela City.

The petition was filed before the Comelec after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition of senatorial candidate and businessman Ricardo Penson seeking to abolish political dynasties.

During the hearing of the petition filed before the Comelec yesterday, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte insisted the poll body could not rule on the issue of political dynasty and stop them from running in the elections. 

Villafuerte said the high court has already ruled and junked the petition filed by the Anti-Dynasty Movement (Andaya Mo).

“The SC has categorically stated that without an enabling law, the Comelec can’t enforce the prohibition against political dynasties,” he explained.

But the complainants said the Comelec could not simply dismiss the petition since there is already an existing jurisprudence by the SC.

“We want to test our legal theory using the legal grounds that we have discovered,” said Alex Lacson, Andaya Mo’s legal counsel.

Villafuerte said it would be best for the petitioners to give up their case and pursue other means such as people’s initiative. – With Jose Rodel Clapano