Comelec: Show cause orders for early campaigning exceeds 6K

According to the Comelec Anti-Epal Taskforce, 6,463 show cause orders have already been issued stemming from complaints filed with the poll body ahead of the start of the campaign period on Oct. 19. (File Photo by patrickroque01/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday said it has so far issued more than 6,000 show cause orders against candidates in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSKE) allegedly involved in premature campaigning.

According to the Comelec Anti-Epal Taskforce, 6,463 show cause orders have already been issued stemming from complaints filed with the poll body ahead of the start of the campaign period on Oct. 19.

Of the number, 125 of 301 possible disqualification petitions have already been filed before the Comelec division following the Task Force verification process, as well as the reception of “unsatisfactory answers” from the concerned candidates.

These petitions will be raffled off to the divisions, summons will be served and followed by summary proceedings, the Comelec said.

The poll body earlier vowed to come up with disqualification resolutions before the Oct.

30 polls.

Meanwhile, the Task Force Anti-Epal has issued 148 subpoenas to BSK bets with verified complaints and dropped 558 complaints due to a lack of factual basis.

BSK bet disqualified

The Comelec-Second division, meanwhile, disqualified a BSK candidate over his conviction in an administrative case in 2005.

In a statement, the poll body identified candidate as Ireneo Polinar Lapis, who is running for a barangay chief post in Barangay Pualas, Don Carlos, Bukidnon.

“For being removed from public office as a result of the Ombudsman’s finding that (Lapis) is guilty in the administrative case against him, (Lapis) is disqualified from running for any elective public office,” the Comelec Second Division resolution read.

Lapis was found guilty of dishonesty in relation to “Section 52(a) and Section 58(a) of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Memorandum Circular No. 19, s. 1999 or the Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases.”

The case resolution dated on March 28, 2005, which led to Lapis’ dismissal from public service, the Comelec added.

Under the Local Government Code, removal from public office due to an administrative case is considered grounds for disqualification.

Besides Lapis, the Comelec earlier disqualified another barangay captain candidate for an offense with a year and a half sentence; and two other SK chairperson candidates for misrepresentation in their certificates of candidacies (COCs).

These three were Aniano Pancho Capinig of Barangay Cabas-an, Aroroy, Masbate; Ivy Jane Parohinog Miranda of Barangay Malag-it, Calinog, Iloilo; and Merson C. Calubag of Barangay Magtangale, San Francisco, Surigao del Norte.