The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has called for the criminalization of nuisance candidacy as it deals with the aftermath of printing 6 million unusable ballots.
Speaking on Super Radyo dzBB, Comelec Chairman George Garcia emphasized the need for stricter penalties for nuisance candidates.
“Nuisance candidacy, dapat gawing criminal ‘yan (Nuisance candidacy should be criminalized),” Garcia said. “Kung hindi kulong, dapat patawan ng multa bilang parusa (If not jail time, fines should be imposed as penalties).”
Nuisance Candidacy’s Impact on Elections
Garcia’s remarks came after the Supreme Court (SC) issued temporary restraining orders (TROs) halting the disqualification of certain candidates in the upcoming May 2025 elections. These included senatorial aspirant Subair Guinthum Mustapha, former Caloocan City Representative Edgar Erice, and other individuals.
The SC’s decision forced Comelec to suspend the printing of official ballots, with 6 million already printed and ultimately wasted, costing around ₱132 million. Each ballot costs approximately ₱22.
According to the Omnibus Election Code and Comelec’s Rules of Procedure, candidates may be declared nuisances if they have no genuine intent to run for office, mock the election process, or cause voter confusion with similar names.
Call for Legislative Updates
Garcia also urged Congress to update the Omnibus Election Code, citing a disconnect between the outdated manual-election rules and the automated systems currently in place.
“May disconnect na ang batas natin na umiiral sa ating ipinatutupad na automated election (There is a disconnect between our prevailing laws and the automated elections we implement),” he noted.
Ballot Disposal Underway
On Friday, Comelec began transporting the wasted ballots from the National Printing Office in Quezon City to a warehouse in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna, for proper disposal through a paper-melting process.
Despite delays, Garcia reaffirmed the poll body’s respect for the SC’s decisions, noting that such legal challenges are part of the election process.
“Hindi natin mapipigilan ang isang hindi pinalad sa Komisyon sa kanyang kaso na pumunta sa SC upang makakuha ng pansamantalang remedyo (We cannot stop someone who failed to get a favorable decision from the Commission from seeking temporary redress with the SC),” Garcia said.
2025 Election Preparations Continue
Comelec is set to resume printing ballots next week as it works to ensure a smooth election process for 71 million registered voters, with a total ballot budget of ₱1.6 billion.