Senate bill hopes to stop ‘pesky’ candidates

A Senate committee has endorsed a bill expanding the grounds for declaring certain aspirants for public office as nuisance candidates out to confuse voters and cause trouble for the real candidates.

Actions that mock the electoral process would also be considered an election offense under the measure.

The Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation has recommended passage of the bill that would amend the Omnibus Election Code and further define who could be considered nuisance candidates.

Under the measure, the Commission on Elections may declare as nuisance candidates those who run for elective office just to obtain money, profit or other consideration.

The bill also makes it an election offense to file a certificate of candidacy in order to confuse voters by a pseudo candidate with the same name as a bona fide candidate.

Running for election just to mock the process and place it in disrepute would likewise be penalized.

Also prohibited are acts that clearly demonstrate a candidate had no real intention of running for the public office he or she is now seeking.

This committee version of the measure was in substitution of bills filed by Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Antonio Trillanes IV.

In his bill, Estrada said it was important to minimize nuisance candidates to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections.—Leila B. Salaverria