The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will prioritize filing disqualification cases against aspirants identified as nuisance candidates, a local election official said on Tuesday, October 1.

This comes as individuals vying for elective positions in the May 2025 national and local elections are submitting their certificates of candidacy (COCs) from October 1 to 8.

Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec director for the Negros Island Region, clarified that the disqualification of a nuisance candidate must follow due process. He emphasized that the Comelec, as a ministerial body, cannot reject any COC upon submission.

“There must be a petition for disqualification filed against a perceived nuisance candidate before the Comelec can take action,” Castillano explained. He added that Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia has committed to prioritizing these cases before ballot printing, ensuring that due process is observed.

Castillano noted that nuisance candidates, particularly in national races, can affect the size of the ballots, necessitating swift action.

The official’s statement comes amid speculation about the Comelec’s handling of situations like the 2022 elections, where the late Governor Roel Degamo faced off against a certain Ruel Degamo.

A disqualification case against Ruel came too late, resulting in his name already appearing on the ballot.

Although Roel Degamo lost to Pryde Henry Teves, a subsequent ruling declared Ruel Degamo a nuisance candidate and transferred his votes to Roel, ultimately leading to Teves’ expulsion from the gubernatorial post. (PNA)