Comelec won't disqualify a candidate due to poverty, says Garcia

MANILA, Philippines — No person will be dismissed as a nuisance candidate simply because they are poor, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Garcia said on Tuesday, October 1.

The Comelec was able to wrap up its first day of candidacy filing without a major hiccup. Garcia reported no untowards incident so far. 

However, multiple senatorial aspirants throughout the filing day expressed dismay for being labeled a nuisance candidate in the past. 

“The Comelec en banc will not disqualify a person for being a nuisance candidate simply because he is poor, because there is no property qualification to hold public office,” Garcia said in a press briefing.  

However, Garcia admitted that this could still contribute to their decision, but it will not determine it. 

The Comelec has long been criticized for dismissing certain candidates on the basis that they are nuisances.

Garcia said the Comelec has already faced multiple complaints in the Supreme Court from candidates who took grievance with being dismissed as nuisances. 

One of them was animal welfare Norman Marquez, who challenged his label as a nuisance candidate twice in the Supreme Court and won against the Comelec. Marquez filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) once more as a senatorial aspirant. 

Garcia said such court rulings have already provided Comelec with guidance as to how they will process candidates this year. 

Candidates who get tagged as nuisances will be summoned and asked to justify why they are not nuisances.