Senator Win Gatchalian filed a bill banning the option to substitute an electoral aspirant who voluntarily withdraws candidacy in any forthcoming elections.
Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri, Senators Nancy BInay, Grace Poe, and Joel Villanueva are co-authors of the bill.
While Section 77 of the Omnibus Election Code allows the substitution to replace an official candidate of a registered or accredited political party who dies, disqualified for any cause or withdraws from the electoral race, Gatchalian pointed out that the latter has been abused for substitution over the years and is observed as a mockery of the process of filing of certificates of candidacies (COCs).
In seeking to amend the Omnibus Election Code, the veteran legislator proposed the replacement of a candidate if the original aspirant becomes incapacitated.
“Sagrado ang balota. Kaya dapat lamang na pahalagahan natin ang paghahain ng kandidatura tuwing eleksyon. Isang pribilehiyo ang makapagsilbi sa bayan kaya dapat lamang na ang personalidad na unang napili ng partido ay buo na ang loob na tumakbo,” the seasoned lawmaker stressed.
“Kapag nag-file ka, ‘yun na, hindi na dapat palitan. Papalitan ka lang kung ikaw ay namatay o kung ikaw ay na-disqualify.”
“Maliwanag ang intensyon ng batas. Ito ay ang gawing mas maayos ang ating halalan at transparent. Naaabuso lang ng iba. Kapag nag-file ka, ‘yun na, hindi na dapat palitan. Papalitan ka lang kung ikaw ay namatay o kung ikaw ay na-disqualify,” the senator added.
The rationale in limiting the grounds for substitution, he explained, is aimed at further strengthening and institutionalizing the political party system and leveling the election playing field in the country.
“The country has an election cycle of three years for local positions, and six years for national positions, political parties have sufficient time to nominate and select their respective candidates.”
Gatchalian further pointed out that before any official filing of COCs, political parties often observe a vetting process, assessing and ascertaining the qualifications of their members which include the willingness, sincerity and commitment to be the party representative for the contended elective position before they are nominated to be the standard bearers for local and national positions.
“Considering that the country has an election cycle of three years for local positions, and six years for national positions, political parties have sufficient time to nominate and select their respective candidates,” he stressed.
Under the rules laid down by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for next year’s elections, the substitute of an aspirant or official candidate of a duly registered political party or coalition who died, withdrew his or her candidacy, or was disqualified may file a COC on or before November 15, 2021. No substitution due to withdrawal shall be allowed after the said date.
The same Comelec resolution says that the substitute for a candidate who died or was disqualified by final judgement may file a COC up to mid-day of election day, May 9, 2022, provided that the substitute and the original candidate have the same surnames.
