The Commission on Elections on Sunday reported that 91 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections candidates on 30 October are facing disqualifications.

COMELEC Chairman George Garcia, in a radio interview at dzBB, said the COMELEC has already issued the candidates show cause orders over their alleged election offenses such as premature campaigning.

"There were no formal complaints. These were only the results of what we have seen or reported to us. What the COMELEC did is motu proprio investigation. This is the COMELEC's own initiative," Garcia said.

He added that the COMELEC has the power to investigate and file its own complaints against candidates who commit election offenses.

COMELEC spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco also last Friday said they have over a hundred petitions for disqualification due to various election offenses, as of Thursday.

At least 43 of the petitions are to declare certain candidates as nuisance bets, cancel certain certificates of candidacy (COCs), and disqualify over some issues. The rest have yet to be formally filed.

The 91 candidates, on the other hand, were given three days from the receipt of the show cause orders to explain their sides regarding the accusations.

For formal complaints, Garcia said, the COMELEC would issue subpoenas.

The poll body has repeatedly warned against premature campaigning as the campaign period will run only from 19 to 28 October.

Garcia said putting up posters and promoting themselves on social media before the campaign period starts may be considered premature campaigning.

"The filing of show cause orders against 91 BSKE bets was just the beginning. There will be many more. We will do that daily," Garcia said.

The COMELEC chair earlier encouraged voters to file complaints against BSKE candidates who will campaign even before the official campaign period starts.