MANILA — The Commission on Elections on Friday said it has the power to suspend the proclamation of winning candidates in the midterm elections if they have pending disqualification cases regardless of grounds.

In a chance interview with reporters, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said this covers grounds arising from issues on the candidate’s campaign rallies and other election offenses.

“Kung hindi namin sila i-proclaim, in the meantime, halimbawa ang position niya ay local, ang pansamantalang uupo — kung position ng mayor, ang vice mayor ang acting pansamantala. Hindi yun permanente, hangga’t walang desisyon ang Comelec,” Garcia said. 

(If we do not proclaim a winning candidate... for example, in a local race for mayor, the vice mayor can sit in an acting capacity until the Comelec decides on the case)

The decision, he said, would be under the discretion of a Comelec division or the commission en banc depending on the case filed.

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“Aalamin muna [kung] may merits ba ang case. Kung may merits, pwede natin i-suspend ang proclamation,” the poll chief said. 

(We will need to know if the case has merit. If there is, we can suspend proclamation)

He said that Comelec has jurisdiction over candidates with disqualification cases until they are proclaimed and take their oaths of office.

“Hindi nawawala ang jurisdiction ng Comelec, sa criminal case. Because ang nagde-determine ng probable cause sa paglabag sa election law ay ang Comelec, ” he said. 

(Comelec does not lose jurisdiction over criminal cases because the commission determines probable cause for alleged violations of election law)

Garcia issued the statement following the issuance of several show-cause orders to different local and national candidates due to alleged violation of campaign guidelines. 

The poll body this week also said it received 63 complaints of alleged vote-buying and abuse of state resources as the 2025 national and local elections draw near.  

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