Official list of candidates may not be released by Dec. 15

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may not be able to release the official list of candidates in the May 2022 polls on Dec. 15.

In an online press briefing, Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez explained that there are still motu propio petitions against certain candidates, which have not yet been resolved.

"For our individual candidates, the original expectation was that we will release it by Dec. 15. I don't know if we will be able to make it exactly Dec. 15," he said

"We still have two days to resolve these cases. Once they are resolved, then we can come out with the list of official candidates," added Jimenez.

Last month, the poll official 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.

Meanwhile, the partylist raffle to determine the order of their listing in the official ballot will finally push through on Tuesday, Dec. 14.

The Comelec earlier rescheduled the partylist raffle from Dec. 10 to 14 in order for the party list groups, organizations, and coalitions with pending incidents to have the opportunity to secure a status quo ante order from the Supreme Court.

The raffle will be held at 10 a.m., at the Commission En Banc Session Hall, 8th Floor Palacio del Gobernador Bldg., Intramuros Manila and simultaneously via Microsoft Teams (MS Teams).

"This morning, I think the Office of the Clerk has released at least 30 resolutions...and they are working on the remaining 70. We hope to be able to release all of that today," said Jimenez.