Quiboloy may face perjury if proven to have falsified COC papers

Televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, who earlier filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator, may face perjury if proven to have falsified information on his candidacy papers, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Since COC is executed under oath, failure to decalre the truth may subject the aspirant to perjury,” Comelec Spokesperson Atty. Rex Laudiangco told reporters in a Viber message late Tuesday night.

Laudiangco said Quiboloy may also be declared an independent candidate.

Quiboloy, who had his candidacy documents filed on Tuesday through an authorized representative, is facing online scrutiny as eagle-eyed netizens noticed that his COC paper states he has been nominated by the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP).

Labor leader and lawyer Sonny Matula, president of WPP, confirmed he did not sign any certificate of nomation and acceptance (CONA) for Quiboloy.

“I am not aware of who signed his CONA. Only three individuals are authorized to sign on behalf of WPP: the Chair, the President, and the Senior Vice President. As President, I can confirm that I did not sign any CONA for Quibolo,” Matula, who’s also gunning for a Senate seat, said.

“Upon inquiring, the other two, Atty. Ariel Arias (Chair) and Dr. Oscar Morado (SVP), have also stated that they have no knowledge of signing a CONA for him,” he added.

Meanwhile, Comelec Spokesperson Atty. Rex Laudiangco said the poll body will inquire with its Law Department first—the department tasked with processing all candidacy papers.

“All these are merely initial reports, as received, and in no way be construed as the final list of candidates,” Laudiangco explained.

Laudiangco said the Law Department will process all COCs and CONAs, determining, among others, as follows:

- The authorized signatories in the CONA for each duly registered political parties, checking their authority,  jurisdiction, or limitations thereto, as well as verifying with the specimen signatures submitted not later than 30 September.

- Declaring as independent candidates those with CONAs not issued by duly authorized signatories

- Declaring as independent candidates those from political parties that have over-nominated.

- Canceling all COCs of aspirants with multiple COCs for different positions,  or nominations from two or more parties, or both.

- Filing motu proprio cases against nuisance candidates for senators (only)

Laudiangco also noted that any registered voter may file Petitions to Cancel/Deny Due Course the COC, Disqualification and Declare as Nuisance Candidate, by which the COMELEC itself may exercise its power of administrative cancellation.