Erice faces complaint over alleged violation of election code

Former Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — Former Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice is facing a complaint for allegedly violating the Omnibus Election Code.

The complaint was filed on Thursday at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Law Department by lawyer Richard Rosales, the legal counsel of petitioners Angelo Benjamin Balatbat and Raymond Salipot.

READ: Amid issues at Comelec, Miru Systems vows clean polls

“A joint complaint affidavit was filed against former Congressman Edgar Erice. So the complaint is about an alleged violation of Section 261 subsection Z11 of the Omnibus Election Code,” Rosales said in an ambush interview.

Section 261 subsection Z11 of the Omnibus Election Code prohibits the propagation of false and alarming information with the intent to disrupt the election process or cause confusion among voters.

Rosales said the subject of the complaint is Erice’s statements, which the complainants think are false and alarming.

“Like for example, sinasabi niya guinea pig tayo ng Miru [Systems Co. Ltd], ‘yung bagong bagong [electronic voting systems] provider ng Comelec, and then may mga sinasabi pa sila na ‘yung kontrata na pinasok ng Comelec with Miru is a big scam,” he explained.

(For example, he was saying we are guinea pigs of Miru Systems Co. Ltd., the new electronic voting systems provider of Comelec, and then he was also saying that the contract entered into by Comelec with Miru is a big scam.)

“Meron din mga unverified allegation of corruption and bribery sa mga particular…’di niya pinangalan rin initially, pero ang pinatutungkulan niya si [Comelec] Chairman George Garcia,” he added.

(There are also unverified allegations of corruption and bribery against particular individuals… he didn’t name anyone initially, but he was referring to Comelec Chairman George Garcia.)

Rosales also noted that the complainants are private individuals and are not politicians.

READ: SC asked to stop Comelec – Miru deal for 2025 polls

On April 18, Erice asked the Supreme Court to stop the Comelec from implementing its P17.9-billion Automated Election System contract with South Korea’s Miru Systems Co. Ltd. and their partners for the 2025 midterm polls.

He claimed that the contract violates Republic Act 7369, or the Automated Election Law, specifically the provisions on bidding procedures and the use of prototype machines during elections.

“We will become guinea pigs. It is against the law,” Erice said.