Comelec wants nuisance filing criminalized

The Commission on Elections is proposing to criminalize the filing of nuisance candidacies, according to its spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco.

Laudiangco said Sunday that the emergence of nuisance candidates has become a trend in every election, and those involved must already face the consequences. He said Comelec chairperson George Chua is serious in punishing offenders.

"Every election, there are candidates running with the same names as their rivals to make the election a mockery or to confuse the people," Laudiangco said.

"Thus, the Comelec will propose for it to be criminalized so that they will be punished with jail time and fines," he added.

The poll body recently nullified the electoral win of Negros Oriental Governor Henry Teves in the May 2022 gubernatorial race, after the votes cast by a certain nuisance candidate "Ruel Degamo" were credited to another rival, former Gov. Roel Degamo.

Based on Comelec Rules of Procedure Part V, Rule 24, any candidate is identified to have no bona fide intention to run for public office if he puts the election process in "mockery or disrepute or to cause confusion among the voters by the similarity of the names of the registered candidates or who by other acts or circumstances."

"This may result in his or her being declared a nuisance candidate and his/her certificate of candidacy being denied or canceled," part of the rules read.