Comelec starts hearings for nuisance candidates
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Dagupan has started the process rolling to weed out perceived nuisance candidates for the May 2013 election.
Among those who will be called for a preliminary hearing are returning candidates who got insignificant number of votes in the previous election, those deemed to have no proven machinery or means to launch a serious campaign, and those with similar names as reputable candidates who could be intended to confuse voters.
Lawyer Marino Salas, provincial election supervisor, said he has initially invited two candidates, one for mayor and another for vice mayor in a town he declined to name.
“One of them got only 11 votes in the past election,” Salas said.
The number of cases to be heard is expected to increase, he said, depending on their review of profile of the candidates.
“The Comelec has the power to motu propio remove their name as nuisance candidate but we still observe due process… Show cause why they should not be considered as nuisance candidate,” Salas said.
Salas also said they do no expect any more case with name similarities as the namesake of Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez in Dagupan had withdrawn her candidacy last October 6.
Reviewed cases will be submitted to the Law Department of the Comelec for final disposition.—Eva Visperas
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