The Supreme Court declared that a candidate's financial resources should not be a basis for declaring them a nuisance candidate. The court stated that the Comelec cannot equate financial capacity with a genuine intention to run for office. The ruling addressed a petition filed by Juan Juan Olila Ollesca, who was declared a nuisance candidate in the 2022 elections.
The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a candidate's financial resources should not be the basis for declaring them a nuisance candidate. In a decision granting a petition, the court stated that the Commission on Elections ( Comelec ) cannot equate the financial capacity requirement with a genuine intention to run for public office.
The court added that requiring financial capacity to campaign is a property qualification prohibited by the Constitution and not a valid reason to label a candidate as a nuisance. \Associate Justice Marvic Leonen authored the ruling, which addressed a petition filed by Juan Juan Olila Ollesca, who was declared a nuisance candidate by the Comelec when he ran for president in the 2022 national and local elections. The SC emphasized that when determining a candidate's bona fide intention, the Comelec can consider factors like political party nomination and public recognition. However, it stressed that the lack of a political party nomination, limited public recognition, or insufficient campaign funds cannot be conclusive evidence of a lack of intent. \The court defined a nuisance candidate as someone whose candidacy aims to create confusion or disrespects the election process, indicating a clear absence of intention to hold office. Meanwhile, the Comelec announced its plan to sign an agreement with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to address text spoofing, a tactic that could be used against candidates in the May 2025 elections. Comelec Chair George Garcia stated that this measure aims to prevent individuals from impersonating others via text messages to attack candidates by spreading negative remarks. \Garcia also mentioned that the campaign period for senatorial candidates and party-list groups will be from February 11 to March 10, while the campaign period for House of Representatives, parliamentary, provincial, city, and municipal candidates will run from March 28 to May 10. He added that no election-related violence was reported on the first day of the campaign period, but at least six individuals were arrested for violating the election gun ban. In related news, the Philippine National Police reported that the first day of the gun ban for this year's midterm elections resulted in the arrest of 31 violators, including 26 civilians, three security guards, one government worker in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and a private first class member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines apprehended in Nueva Ecija
SUPREME COURT ELECTION LAW NUISANCE CANDIDATES CAMPAIGN FINANCE COMELEC
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