Comelec Chief Garcia

MANILA, Philippines – The head of the Commission on Elections, lawyer George Erwin Garcia, dismisses beliefs that the electoral body’s police powers ends at issuing show-cause orders to candidates reportedly violating election laws. 

We dismiss and disqualify candidates, he said.

“Napatunayan na po namin na nag-fi-file ang Comelec pagkatapos ng show cause ng petition to cancel or disqualify yung mismong kandidato. Importante may show cause muna para kahit paano may proseso,” Garcia said in an interview Tuesday, April 28. 

Garcia said filing a show-cause order gives candidates a fair chance to explain why they should not be sanctioned which is a clear demonstration of due process.

The Comelec, Garcia said, has proven its teeth when it disqualified certain candidates and even did not proclaim winning candidates who were proven violators of election laws. 

“Again saksi ang sambayanan, ginawa namin nung Barangay at SK election yan. Meron kaming mga hindi prinoklama, meron kaming dinis-qualify kahit naproklama na o hindi naproklama,” he said. 

“Gagawin din po namin ‘yan wala naman pong distinction dapat, whether barangay or SK elections or national or local elections,” he said. 

Just recently, the Comelec issued a list of candidates having been asked to explain allegations of vote buying and Abuse of State Resources. 

“Kung nakita niyo po sa listahan ng ini-issuehan namin ng show cause whether sa ating discrimination or prohibition, whether sa ating vote buying prohibition, makikita niyo po,” Garcia said. 

“Wala pong pati-partido, wala po kaming tinignan kahit na ano ‘yung posisyon. Lahat nung kailangan issue-han at ipagpaliwanag, pinagpapaliwanag po ng Comelec,” Garcia said. 

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