Señeres’ substitute does not qualify – Comelec

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) finally junked the petition of the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka Workers and Peasants Party (PMM-WPP) to field a substitute candidate for the late OFW Family Club Party-list Rep. Roy Señeres.

The poll body disclosed it will no longer process the Certificate of Candidacy ( COC) for President of Apolonia Comia- Soguilon for failing to comply with its rules. Lawyer Soguilon was picked by PMM-WPP to replace Señeres.

“We denied the substitution of Soguilon because of their different last names,” Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said.

Comelec rules allow substitutes for a candidate, who died or is disqualified by final judgment, to file a COC up to mid- day of Election Day provided that it complies with the following conditions: The substitute and the substituted have the same surnames; and that the candidate belongs to, and is nominated by, the same political party.

Bautista, however, noted PMMWPP could still appeal their decision before the Supreme Court.

The PMM-WPP filed a petition before Comelec seeking to replace Señeres, who succumbed to pulmonary cardiac arrest earlier this month.

This is in contrast to the position of Señeres’ family asking the poll body to remove the name of the former ambassador from the ballots, which will be used in the 2016 polls.

The Comelec decided to retain the name Señeres in the officials ballots in compliance to the provision of the Comelec Omnibus Code and to accommodate PMM-WPP if the SC will decide in their favor.