Comelec: Disqualification cases vs. BSKE 2023 bets may reach 1,000

The disqualification cases against candidates running in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE 2023) may reach more than 1,000, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia said on Saturday. 

"Sa mga susunod na araw, asahan na baka umabot pa sa mahigit 1,000 ang ipa-file ng task force na disqualification cases," Garcia said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(In the coming days, expect that the task force may file more than 1,000 disqualification cases.)

"Sa Lunes, nasa 40 ang ipa-file na disqualification cases... Sa Martes, parehas na bilang... Araw-araw magpa-file ang task force," he added.

(On Monday, 40 disqualification cases will be filed. On Tuesday, the same amount of cases will be filed. The task force will file cases every day.)

The Comelec on Friday already filed disqualification cases against 35 candidates in the BSKE over alleged premature campaigning.

"Ang naisyuhan natin ng show cause order sa buong bansa ay almost 3,600 na... Sa 3,600, 'yung 35 sinampahan na ng disqualification case... Hopefully makapag-desisyon bago ang BSKE sa October 30," Garcia said.

(Almost 3,600 [candidates] in the country were issued show cause order. Of the 3,600 total number, 35 already have disqualification cases. Hopefully, the decisions will be released before the BSKE on October 30.)

As of September 29, the poll body has issued a total of 3,541 show cause orders against candidates in the BSKE. Of this number, 600 have already replied, the Comelec chairman said, and more than 100 of those were found to have grounds for disqualification.

"Sa 3,500 [plus] na naisyuhan ng show cause order, may 600 nang sumagot... Du'n sa 600 na sumagot, mahigit 100 ang nakitaan ng ground na ipa-disqualify sila," he said.

(Of the 3,500 given show cause order, 600 already replied. Of the 600 who replied, more than 100 were found to have grounds for disqualification.)

On the other hand, the complaints against 300 of those issued show cause orders were found to have no basis, Garcia said.

"Nasa 300 na pinadalhan ng show cause order ang nakita na talagang wala namang  basehan ang reklamo laban sa kanila," he said.

"Ang 35 na sinampahan ng disqualification case ay may kaugnayan sa premature campaigning, base na rin sa mga reklamong natanggap natin... Kasama diyan ang mga natanggap at nakita nating video sa social media," Garcia said.

(The 35 candidates facing disqualification cases are due to [alleged] premature campaigning, based on complaints we received. That includes videos we received and saw on social media.)

"'Yung 35 kahapon na sinampahan ng disqualification case, initial pa lang... Ayon sa task force, araw-araw sila magpa-file ng disqualification cases... Masusing ina-assess ang mga ebidensiyang nakalap at ang mga sagot sa show cause order," he added.

(The 35 disqualification cases filed yesterday is just initial filing. According to the task force, they will file disqualification cases every day. They are scrutinizing the evidence gathered and going over the replies to the show cause order.)

The Comelec chairman said the task force gathered evidence for use in the disqualification cases.

Garcia said if the disqualification cases are decided on before October 30, those disqualified will be taken out of the list of candidates.

"Kapag ang kaso ay nadesisyunan bago mag-October 30, ang pangalan ng mga kandidatong 'yan ay tatanggalin sa listahan... Kapag sila ay naboto pa rin, lahat ng boto ay balewala," he added.

(If the decisions are out before October 30, the names of the candidates [disqualified] will not be included in the list [on the ballot]. If they still receive votes, all those will not be considered.)

However, Garcia said the candidates may still possibly face criminal charges.

"Kung ano man ang maging resulta ng disqualification case, mayroon pa rin election offense, mayroon pang kasong kriminal na ipa-file sa law department namin," he said.

(Regardless of the result of the disqualification case, there is still an election offense which may be filed via our law department.) 

Garcia said disqualified bets may turn to the Supreme Court to appeal the Comelec decision.

"Puwede silang pumunta sa Korte Suprema para umapela [mga madi-disqualify]... Ang sabi sa batas, kapag 5 araw matapos ang desisyon ng Comelec en banc, automatic, tanggal na ang pangalan kahit sila ay nakaapela," he said.

(They can go to the Supreme Court to appeal [the decision]. The law says that five days after the Comelec en banc issues a decision, it's automatic that the name of the candidate will be taken out of the list despite any appeal that may be filed.)

The BSKE will be held on October 30, with the campaign period set from October 19 to 28.

Section 80 of the Omnibus Election Code states that it shall be unlawful for any person, whether or not a voter or candidate, or for any party, or association of persons, to engage in an election campaign or partisan political activity except during the campaign period.

The acts that prompted the Comelec to file the petitions included social media posts and the hanging of posters and materials that show political affiliations and the positions that the candidates are running for, Comelec Director Nick Mendros, head of the poll body's Task Force Anti-Epal, said on Friday. —KG, GMA Integrated News