More than half of the 97 aspirants for president might be removed for being nuisance, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday.
"We had 97 filers for president and it looks like more than half of that might be removed as nuisance," Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said in a press briefing.
He said motu propio cases for the declaration as nuisance candidates have already been filed against 82 out of 97 presidential aspirants, 15 out of 29 for vice president and 108 for senator out of 176.
Section 69 of the Omnibus Election Code states that the Commission may, motu proprio or upon a verified petition of an interested party, refuse to give due course to or cancel a certificate of candidacy.
This is in cases where it is shown that it is filed to put the election process in mockery or disrepute, or to cause confusion among the voters by the similarity of the names of the registered candidates, or by other circumstances or acts which clearly demonstrate that the candidate has no bona fide intention to run for the office.
The Comelec is eyeing to release the final list of candidates in the May 2022 polls in December.
Meanwhile, a total of 19 aspirants withdrew their certificates of candidacy (COC) for the May 2022 polls at the close of the filing period for substitution yesterday.
Jimenez, however, said that not all withdrawals were accompanied by substitution.
He also explained that the acceptance of COCs of substitute bets are only ministerial.
"We still have to finalize their political party affiliations. It has to undergo the necessary process," said Jimenez.
Among the substitute candidates, who filed yesterday are President Duterte (senator), Ramon Mitra (senator), Guillermo Eleazar (senator) and Antonio Parlade (president).