The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on second reading a bill that would eliminate candidate withdrawal as a ground for substitution, aiming to prevent what lawmakers call abuse of the electoral process.

House Bill 10524 seeks to amend the Omnibus Election Code to remove withdrawal as a reason for replacing a candidate, leaving disqualification and death as the only valid grounds.

San Jose Del Monte Representative Florida Robes said that the withdrawal option has been exploited by candidates and political parties, misleading voters about a party’s nominees.

“This amendment would drastically change how elections are conducted,” Robes said. “By limiting political parties’ ability to substitute candidates in cases of voluntary withdrawal, it would guarantee that the candidates who are put in front of the public during the campaign will be the ones who, should they be elected, serve the people.”

The bill would also add “permanent incapacity” as a substitution ground, defined as a mental or physical impairment preventing a candidate from fulfilling their duties, as verified by a licensed physician.

The Commission on Elections has already moved to restrict the substitution period for withdrawals to the certificate of candidacy filing period for the 2025 midterm elections, set for1 to 8 October 2024.