The politicaL party of late OFW Family Club party-list Rep. Roy Señeres on Thursday filed an “urgent manifestation” with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) saying his family’s stand runs against the party position to field a substitute candidate for the position left vacant by his death.
Señeres’ family, through lawyer Candelaria Rivas, earlier told the Comelec the late ambassador wanted no one to substitute for him as a presidential candidate.
But the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka (PMM), through its secretary general Melchor Chavez, said Rivas’ statement was not true.
In its manifestation, PMM reiterated its motion to have a substitute candidate, lawyer Apolonia Soguilon, “admitted” on the ballot.
Soguilon was one of about 100 presidential aspirants whose candidacies were earlier deemed a nuisance by the Comelec.
On Tuesday, the party and Señeres’ family filed opposing manifestations.
The party filed a “notice of death” asking that Señeres’ position on the ballot be “left vacant” for the candidate it would nominate.
Inclusion of Soguilon
Later, Chavez accompanied Soguilon to submit a petition to have her included on the ballot. Soguilon submitted a copy of her certificate of candidacy and a certificate of nomination by the party.
Hours later, Rivas submitted a separate motion for the family, saying that based on Señeres’ last wishes, they would not endorse any candidate for president.
The Comelec has said that under the rules, such as in case of death, a party has until mid-election day to field its substitute provided the substitute is a member of the party and of the same surname.