‘Political landscape’
THERE’S now a snowballing move in the two-chamber Congress to remove “withdrawal” as a ground for “substitution” after the end of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs).
Proponents, particularly Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City, said the highly-controversial “substitution rule” has made a mockery of the country’s election system.
In the House of Representatives, Congressman Rodriguez filed a bill which seeks to limit candidate substitutions only on grounds of death or disqualification.
Rodriguez said candidates should decide ahead of time if they are really interested in running, adding they cannot put somebody there because they are still deciding on it.
Section 77 of the country’s Omnibus Election Code allows the substitution of candidates on grounds of death, disqualification or withdrawal.
Likewise members of the so-called “Makabayan Bloc” in the House of Representatives have filed separate bills to remove “substitution” as a ground for substitution.
Last Monday, five senators – Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva and Juan Miguel Zubiri – filed a similar bill in the Upper Chamber of Congress.
Rodriguez said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) could not come out with the final list of candidates even after the October 8 deadline for the filing of COCs.
This, after the poll body set a second deadline – November 15 – for any substitution.The solon from Cagayan de Oro City said this farce of having two deadlines must stop.
Of course, we share the view of Congressman Rodriguez, a lawyer, that right now, candidates can actually switch political parties in order to make a substitution happen.
Panahon na para wakasan natin ang praktis na ito.
