MALOLOS CITY—At least six candidates for provincial position in Bulacan might face disqualification as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) start investigation on their capability to launch a campaign for the 2013 elections.
However, Lawyer Elmo Duque, provincial election supervisor, said the decision on the fate of six independent candidates will be determined by the Comelec law department.
“Our part is just to investigate and explore their capabilities, then we will submit a recommendation to our law department,” he said on Saturday after a conference with independent candidates.
Duque said that their initial investigation was mean to determine if there are other candidates with the same surnames, if they have bonafide intention to run and to avoid putting the election process in mockery and disrepute.
The six independent candidates running for provincial elective posts invited yesterday are Ernesto Balite and Jaime Almera who are both running for the position of governor; Sahiron Salim and Joseph Cristobal who filed their certificates of candidacy for congressman in the first and second districts respectively; and Jose Cundangan and Carlito Bernabe who are both running for provincial board member in the first and third districts respectively.
Except for Salim, all others were invited by the Comelec based on a new policy to determine capability of the candidates to launch a province- or district-wide campaign.
Salim is facing possible disqualification after incumbent Representative Marivic Alvarado, the wife of Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado filed a petition before the Comelec.
Based on the copy of her petition, Rep. Alvarado said that Salim ran outside Bulacan in 2010 and earned “lamentable” number of votes.
Salim admitted that he ran for governor in Sulu in the last election but maintained that it’s not a ground for discqualification.
Alvarado also claimed that Salim has no capacity to conduct a campaign for the position of congressman, and that the latter’s candidacy will put in mockery and disrepute the election process.
Based on records of Comelec-Bulacan, only Salim and Alvarado filed their COC for the position of congressman in the first district.
Observers said that if Salim is disqualified, Rep. Alvarado will go unopposed in the 20103 elections.
In the gubernatorial race, incumbent Governor Alvarado will also run unopposed if the Comelec will disqualify Almera and Balite.
It will be the first for a gubernatorial and a congressional candidate in the province to run unopposed in an election.
