Comelec sets guidelines on nuisance candidates

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the poll body is creating guidelines on how to determine nuisance candidates and prevent them from filing certificates of candidacy (COC).

“We will come up with guidelines on what are nuisance candidates... In fact, I already asked one of our lawyers to research and look at jurisprudence to see what would classify or qualify a nuisance candidate as opposed to a viable candidate,” Comelec Chair Juan Andres Bautista said. 

“It is the responsibility of the Comelec to make sure that elections are done properly. We don’t want it to become a mockery. We should disallow candidates that would impact the solemnity of Comelec proceedings, and also the way that the conduct of the general elections,” he added.

Bautista assured that the guidelines they will set will not defeat the right of every individual to run for public office.

The Comelec is crafting guidelines on nuisance candidates as part of their implementations to guarantee the filing of COCs in Oct. 12 to 16, 2015 at its main office at the Palacio del Gobernador Building in Intramuros, Manila will remain orderly.

“We want to have greater order in the way we do things. We just want to ensure that there is order. We also want to make sure that it is done properly,” Bautista said.

The poll body also seeks to control the number of people joining the candidate in filing their COCs inside the Comelec office.

“We will be more discriminating, in a sense that, obviously when a candidate files for his or her COC, he or she would like to have immediate family members, co-candidates from the party to be with them,” Bautista said.

Bautista said they will install television monitors outside of the building allow supporters of candidates get a view of the happenings inside the office.