Erice to contest Eleksyon 2025 disqualification

Former Caloocan Representative Edgar Erice on Thursday said he will file a motion for reconsideration on the Commission of Elections' (Comelec) decision to disqualify him in the 2025 elections.

“I think this is a disqualification because of their irritation to my persistence,” Erice said in a press conference. 

"We will file a motion for reconsideration sa [Comelec] en banc on Monday,” added Erice.

Comelec on Wednesday granted a petition seeking Erice's disqualification or supposedly spreading “false and alarming” information over the poll body's deal with South Korean firm Miru Systems Inc.

Petitioner Raymond Salipot alleged that Erice violated Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC) by making “unsubstantiated yet disturbing and damaging statements” against the Comelec and the upcoming elections in various newspaper, online, and radio reports.

“All statements made by Respondent contradict verifiable and widely available facts from the Comelec and all sources across platforms,” the Comelec decision reads.

The Comelec Second Division has granted a petition amid his supposed “deliberate intent to disrupt elections rather than legitimate criticism.”

Erice, however, denies the allegation.

“I am not disrupting the elections, I am disrupting the corruption…due to the Comelec-Miru deal,” he said.

To recall, Erice has repeatedly called on the SC to declare null and void the P17.99-billion contract between the Comelec and Miru Systems for the 2025 elections.

In November, Erice filed with the SC a supplement to an earlier petition, seeking to junk the agreement.

Aside from his petition against the Miru deal, Erice also filed an anti-graft and corruption practice complaint against Comelec Chair George Garcia with the Office of the Ombudsman.

Garcia has said that he is inhibiting from handling or participating in all cases involving the former legislator.

--VAL, GMA Integrated News