Political thieves a-running

Here in the Philippines, the vetting of candidates who are running for public office is initially being done for us voters by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

As the Comelec prepares to conduct the forthcoming national and local elections (NLE) this year, we, too, as voters must prepare ourselves to make the wise choice on who to elect from the so many aspirants wanting to hold public office.

The seven-man poll body is empowered to screen and vet individuals who want to be elected into public office. Among other things, the Comelec must do its mandate to protect us voters, not just against so-called “nuisance” candidates but against other unscrupulous elements out to thwart our democratic right of suffrage.

A total of 43,033 aspirants in the NLE originally filed certificates of candidacy (COC) during the eight days of the filing period last year. After the Comelec screening of all COCs, a total of 205 COCs were declared as “nuisance” candidates.

Pruned from “nuisance” bets, more than 18,000 national and local positions are up for grabs, according to Comelec. Kicking off its mandated duties, the Comelec started as scheduled the printing of 73 million ballots for the midterm elections and the first parliamentary polls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Out of 183 COCs for the Senate race, a total of 117 senatorial wannabes were declared “nuisance.” Thus, only the names of the 66 qualified candidates for the Senate race are appearing in the ballots. Elected nationally like the senators, a total of 190 party-list groups filed COCs. But the Comelec only qualified 155 partylist groups to be included in the official ballots. A total of 67 COCs for local bets were declared as “nuisance.”