Latest news with #CommissiononElections
GMA Network
6 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec affirms disqualification of Cagayan governor Mamba in 2022 polls
With just one month remaining before the terms of current local leaders expire, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has affirmed that Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba was disqualified from running in the 2022 elections and allowed Vice Governor Melvin Vargas Jr. to take his place. The poll body, sitting en banc, stood by the decision of its First Division in April 2024 to disqualify Mamba after he, along with Mabel Mamba and Francisco Mamba, who were candidates for governor, vice governor, and 3rd district representative of Cagayan province, respectively, provided financial aid, scholarship grants, and various transport vehicles to the constituents of Cagayan province using public funds during the 45-day spending ban. The First Division dismissed the petition filed by Victorio Casuay against Mabel Mamba and Francisco Mamba for being moot, as they failed to win their election bids. However, it granted the disqualification case against Mamba after he was found in violation of Section 261 (v) of the Omnibus Election Code and Comelec Resolution No. 10747, which prohibits the release, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds for any and all kinds of public works from March 25 to May 8, 2022. Acting on Mamba's appeal, the Comelec en banc said Mamba's duty as governor ''does not grant him unrestrained discretion in the exercise of his powers.'' ''Public officials, regardless of their position, are bound to act within the confines of the law and are subject to the limitations and restrictions imposed by applicable statutes and regulations. The mere desire to fulfill one's duties does not justify actions taken in violation of legal mandates," the resolution said. Mamba will become vice governor on June 30, the day his term as governor ends, following his victory in the May 2025 midterm elections. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec upholds junking of DQ petition vs BH party-list
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has affirmed a ruling junking a petition for disqualification against the Bagong Henerasyon (BH) party-list and its nominees. In an eight-page decision, the poll body en banc dismissed a motion for reconsideration (MR) filed by petitioner Russel Stanley Geronimo assailing a May 22 decision of the Comelec First Division, which junked the disqualification petition he filed against the party-list. Named respondents to the case were the BH party-list group as well as Rep. Bernadette Herrera, Robert Gerard Lopez Nazal Jr., and Maria Editha Tan Alcantara. 'Wherefore, premises considered, the Commission en banc resolved, as it hereby resolves to deny this motion for reconsideration and affirms the resolution of the Commission First Division dated May 22, 2025,' the en banc ruling reads. According to the Comelec en banc, the petitioner failed to present any new, compelling evidence and merely reiterated the points he made in his petition. 'To grant reconsideration under the present circumstances would be to undermine the integrity of the Commission's own procedural framework and open the floodgates to negligent, or even worse - tactical, non-compliance,' the Comelec en banc said. 'In view of the foregoing, We find no cogent reason to depart from the Assailed Order of the Commission (First Division).' The Comelec First Division last week dismissed the disqualification petition filed by Geronimo for failing to serve a copy of the petition to the respondents through personal service and for failing to attach a copy of Certificate of Nomination-Certificate of Acceptance of Nomination. Asked if the party-list will be proclaimed following the development, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said: 'If hindi po makakakuha ng temporary restraining order sa Supreme Court ang Petitioner-Appellant, if ever aakyat man sila on appeal via a Petition for Certiorari, magiging final and executory po ang en banc decision within five days'. (If the petitioner would not be able to secure a TRO from the Supreme Court, then the Comelec ruling will be final and executory within five days.) 'After which, the Clerk of the Commission will issue a Certificate of Finality, an Entry of Judgment and Writ of Execution. Then, proclamation may ensue. Kailangan po munang maging final and executory ang decision ng Commission en banc,' he added. ('After which, the Clerk of the Commission will issue a Certificate of Finality, an Entry of Judgment and Writ of Execution. Then, proclamation may ensue. The decision needs to be final and executory first.) The Commission on Elections, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, earlier postponed the proclamation of BH Party-list and Duterte Youth due to pending petitions filed against them. — BAP, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec starts destruction of rejected Eleksyon 2025 ballots
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday started the destruction of 6.7 million unused official ballots and accountable forms printed for the conduct of the 2025 national and local elections (NLE). Commissioner Rey Bulay, commissioner-in-charge for the Committee on Ballot Printing, led the disposal of the rejected ballots at the National Printing Office in Quezon City . Comelec personnel will be tearing the rejected ballots before their transport to a disposal facility in Pampanga for direct melting. The process is expected to last for ten days. 'Ito ang pagpapatunay ng inyong commission…ng accountability, security, at transparency nitong election. Mula sa procurement ng printer, papel, pag-iimprenta, saksi kayong lahat,' said Bulay. (This shows the commission's commitment for accountability, security, and transparency this elections. From the procurement of the printer, paper, and printing, you witnessed it all.) 'Wala kaming itinagong proseso sa inyo. Mula doon hanggang ideploy ang mga balota at ngayon hanggang sunugin natin ang mga hindi valid na ballots para hindi magamit hanggang kailan,' he said. (We never hid any part of the process from the deployment to the destruction of the ballots.) Meanwhile, the number of invalid ballots increased from 3 million to 6.7 million for the 2025 polls, said Bulay. These included those with tear or smudges. 'Ngayong eleksyon, we doubled from the last one. 3 million lang ang invalid ballots from the last election, ngayon 6.7million. Mas maraming printing, mas maraming error, tapos may temporary restraining order pa tayo,' he added. (The number of rejected ballots doubled this year. From 3 million last elections, it is now at 6.7 million. That is because we printed more ballots and encountered more errors. We also faced a TRO.) The Comelec completed the printing of over 68 million ballots for the 2025 May polls after the process hit a snag in January following the Supreme Court's issuance of temporary restraining orders against the disqualification of some aspirants. The poll body deputized the National Printing Office in January, allowing the use of the latter's four printing machines and two machines procured by Miru Systems Inc. to ensure the "proper, satisfactory, and timely" completion of the reprinting of the official ballots for the elections. The Philippines held its midterm elections on May 12.—AOL, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec urges law to institutionalize increase in teachers' honoraria
"Isa sa mga proposals ng inyong lingkod, sana magkaroon ng legislation na may automatic increase on a per election basis sa mga honoraria ng mga guro," Garcia said. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has called for legislation institutionalizing increases in the honoraria for teachers serving as election staff and making the benefit tax-free. At a news forum on Thursday, Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia said that there will be no P2,000 across-the-board increase in the honoraria of teachers who will serve in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections in October. The said increase was implemented in the May 12 mid-term elections. Garcia said the proposed P14 billion budget of the poll body for the 2025 BSKE was reduced to P11 billion. "Isa sa mga proposals ng inyong lingkod, sana magkaroon ng legislation na may automatic increase on a per election basis sa mga honoraria ng mga guro. Ibig sabihin, 'pag nagkakaroon din tayo ng increase sa gastusin, dapat may automatic increase sa honoraria ng mga guro,' Garcia told the monthly forum of the Manila City Hall Reporters' Association (MACHRA). (One of our proposals is for the crafting of a legislation that would automatically increase the honoraria of teachers per election basis.) 'Syempre pinu-push pa rin natin ang tax exemption ng mga guro. Hindi naisakatuparan nitong 2025 national and local elections. Sana magkaroon ng tax exemption sa BSKE and such other benefits. Susuportahan po natin yun," he said. (We're also pushing for the tax exemption of teachers. This did not happen in the 2025 NLE but we are hoping it would be implemented in the BSKE.) Teachers who served as poll workers in the recent elections received additional P2,000 honoraria. This gives ERB members with P10,000 and chairpersons with P12,000 but still subject to tax. According to Garcia, the Comelec will urge President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for additional honoraria, similar to the P1,000 increase granted to teachers for the 2025 May elections. 'Kahit hindi mismo sinasabi ng mga guro, nararapat lang yun,' Garcia added. (They may not say anything but teachers deserve that.) In September 2024, the Comelec said the budget cuts in their proposed 2025 funding will impact the preparations for the 2025 elections including the BSKE. It would likewise affect the voter education for the polls. –NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec: Only few Eleksyon 2025 bets have filed SOCEs
Just a few local and national candidates in Eleksyon 2025 have so far filed their Statements of Contribution and Expenditures (SOCEs) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), more than two weeks after the May 12 polls. Comelec Chairman George Garcia on Tuesday said, "Wala pa halos. Baka nagpapasa sila ng SOCE sa mga local Comelec pero sa national—whether party-list or Senado—wala pa halos nagfa-file sapagkat alam natin na hanggang June 11 ang filing," said poll chairperson George Erwin Garcia. (There are only a few candidates. Maybe some filed their SOCEs at the local Comelec offices but for the national bets, whether candidates for party-list or Senate, only a few have complied. We know that the filing deadline is on June 11.) Under Section 14 of Republic Act (RA) 7166 or the Synchronized Elections Act, every candidate or treasurer of a political party shall file in duplicate with the offices of the Comelec the "full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election" within 30 days after the elections, or until June 11, 2025. Candidates who fail to file their SOCEs will be charged with an administrative offense and will be liable to pay a fine from P1,000 to P30,000 at the discretion of the poll body, except for aspirants at the barangay level. For winning bets or political parties, failure to comply may also result in withholding the candidates' assumption of office. For his part, Garcia reminded Eleksyon 2025 bets—including those who withdrew their candidacies after February 11 for national posts or March 28 for local positions—to study their SOCEs to avoid election offenses. "Pinapa-remind natin ang lahat na sana pag-aralan nang mabuti ang SOCE na ifa-file nila. Alamin, tingnan mabuti, 'wag basta pipirma. Ibase lagi sa registered voters, hindi sa number of voters who actually voted sapagkat baka sumobra sa fina-file nila at therefore, makakasuhan sila ng kasong criminal," he said. (We want to remind candidates to study the SOCEs they intend to file. They should base it on registered voters and not the number of voters who actually voted because this may be filed with criminal cases.) "Violation ng SOCE rule and at the same time, puwedeng maging ground for perpetual disqualification para manungkulan, whether appointive or elective, lalo na at di sila makakapag file ng SOCEs," Garcia added. (That would constitute a violation of SOCE rules and may be used as ground for perpetual disqualification from public service, whether appointive or elective, especially if they fail to file SOCEs.) Section 13 of Republic Act (RA) 7166 provides the limitation of authorized expenses of candidates and political parties. It states that candidates vying for the presidency and vice-presidency shall spend P10 for every voter, while aspirants with political parties are allowed to spend P3 for every voter currently registered in the constituency where he or she filed his or her certificate of candidacy. Independent candidates, meanwhile, are allowed to spend up to P5 per voter. Political parties, for their part, are allowed up to P5 for every voter currently registered in the constituency or constituencies where it has official candidates. — VDV, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
