Solon
slams Comelec for late
disqualification of political rival
DUMAGUETE City – Congressman George
Arnaiz of the 2nd District of Negros Oriental slammed the
Commission on Elections (Comelec) for its delayed decision
in disqualifying rival candidate Raul Aniñon from running
in the May 10 polls.
Arnaiz said that while Aniñon, indeed,
has been disqualified in a recent ruling by the Comelec central
office, his name would still appear in the official ballots
as these had already been printed before the decision came
out.
“It is unfair. His name cannot be removed
anymore and is at the top of the list (of four candidates
in the 2nd District),” he lamented.
Names of candidates printed on the ballots
are in alphabetical order, he said.
According to the congressman, the purpose
for his filing the petition for disqualification against Aniñon
was to have him declared a nuisance candidate and strike out
his name from the ballot.
Aniñon has never campaigned ever since
he started running in the 1980s, he said.
“What’s worse now with the automated
elections is that even the names of disqualified candidates
still appear in the official ballots. And so you are making
a mockery of the election process. And there is nothing we
can do about it,” Arnaiz added.
Arnaiz had filed his petition in December
2009 but a new ruling by the Comelec requires that all election-related
cases this time be leveled to its central office.
After the May polls, and if re-elected into
office, Arnaiz said will study possible legislative measures
to correct this problem, but only if the country will have
a successful automated elections.(PNA)
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