SANTIAGO CITY--Mayor Amelita Navarro has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to declare as nuisance candidates a mother and her daughter, whose names are similar to hers, and who filed their certificates of candidacy for mayor in this city in Isabela.

Navarro?s petition, which has been scheduled for hearing this week, came after two residents, Amy Navarro (who uses the nickname Amelita) and Emma Navarro (who uses the nickname Amy) filed their certificates of candidacy or CoC as independent candidates for mayor on Dec. 1, lawyer Manuel Castillo, acting provincial election supervisor and concurrent city election officer, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Castillo said the re-electionist mayor has also been known by her nickname, Amy.

He said the Comelec asked the local office of the poll body to serve the notices of hearing to the registered address of the two Navarros.

Castillo said the Navarro mother and daughter, based on Comelec records, have been registered as voters in the city.

Mayor Navarro said the Navarros? entry into the race was meant to put the mayoral election in disarray.

Janet Francia, city council secretary and the mayor?s close aide, said the candidacies of Mayor Navarro?s namesakes would put her in a disadvantage, especially as ballots for the automated elections would be read by computers that would not distinguish such problems.

Another Navarro, named Sammy, also filed his candidacy as independent candidate for mayor.

Mayor Navarro?s leading rival, former Vice Mayor Armando Tan of the Liberal Party, has also asked the Comelec to declare candidate Edison Tan a nuisance candidate, citing their common surnames.