Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines – Staying true to its dedication of liberating the approaching 2025 nationwide and native elections from mockery and disrepute, the Fee on Elections (Comelec) final week declared as nuisance the candidacy of an area quack physician from Cabuyao, Laguna.
The ballot physique’s 2nd Division made the choice after it decided that the supposed candidate recognized as Dante Aguilar Hernandez, merely filed his candidacy to trigger confusion amongst voters by arising with a nickname “Romeo,” which sounds comparable with the title of petitioner and incumbent Gov. Ramil L. Hernandez.
The decision learn: On 26 November 2024, the Fee (Second Division) promulgated a Decision granting the moment Petition and declaring Respondent Dante “Romeo” Aguilar Hernandez as a nuisance candidate.
It continued: “In relation thereto, the Fee (Second Division) hereby CLARIFIES that the Certificates of Candidacy filed by Respondent Dante “Romeo” Aguilar Hernandez for the place of Member, Home of Representatives for the 2nd District of the Province of Laguna within the Might 2025 Nationwide and Native Elections is DENIED DUE COURSE is CANCELLED.
The decision was signed by Comelec 2nd Division Presiding Commissioner Marlon S. Casquejo, and Commissioners Rey Bulay and Nelson Celis.
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It was gathered that the respondent on October 8 this 12 months filed his certificates of candidacy for the place of member, Home of Representatives, for the Second (2nd) District of the province of Laguna within the 2025 nationwide and native elections.
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Gov. Hernandez who was working for a similar place in subsequent 12 months’s elections, nevertheless, was prompted to file a petition earlier than the Comelec to declare the respondent as nuisance.
This, after he realized that Dante Hernandez has no bona fide intention to run for the workplace, however merely filed his candidacy simply to confuse the voters and thus forestall a trustworthy willpower of the true will of the citizens.
He contended that based mostly on the sworn statements of witnesses, “it was clear that the respondent is making an attempt to run for workplace below a special title, “Romeo Hernandez,” which is unfamiliar to his neighborhood.”
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“This deliberate title change seems to be a strategic transfer to deceive voters and is probably going an try and confuse the citizens, thus qualifying respondent as a nuisance candidate below Part 69 (of the Omnibus Election Code).”
The ballot physique obtained the sworn affidavits of three witnesses – Christopher Lozada Barrientos, Edmon Misa Arcita, and Hjan KZ Macapacial Baniaga, who had been all residents of Brgy. Bigaa, Cabuyao Metropolis, Laguna.
The witnesses attested that all of them personally knew respondent Dante, since they had been all natives of the identical barangay and that they by no means knew nor heard Dante calling himself Romeo, “till he filed his candidacy for congressman” final October 8.”
Barrientos, who is likely one of the witnesses said that the respondent is well known of their barangay as “Dante,” and he has by no means heard anybody discuss with him as “Romeo”, and has been identified solely by the title Dante since childhood.”
In actual fact, he beforehand served as a barangay tanod (neighborhood watchman) in Brgy. Bigaa, and he’s presently identified in the neighborhood as a “manghihilot” (conventional healer).
All of the witnesses additionally recalled that respondent even ran and misplaced within the 2018 barangay elections for the place of Barangay Kagawad (councilor) in Brgy. Bigaa utilizing his actual title, “Dante Aguilar Hernandez.”
After cautious deliberations, the Comelec’s 2nd Division granted the petition of Gov. Hernandez declaring the respondent as nuisance candidate.
In its ruling, the Comelec mentioned Sec. 69 of the Omnibus Election Code [“OEC”] on nuisance candidates states that the Fee might, motu proprio or upon a verified petition of an celebration, refuse to provide due course to or cancel a certificates of candidacy.
Among the many issues for declaring a candidate as nuisance are whether it is proven that mentioned certificates has been filed to place the election course of in mockery or disrepute; or to trigger confusion among the many voters by the similarity of the names of the registered candidates.
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Additionally, by different circumstances or acts which clearly show that the candidate has no bona fide intention to run for the workplace for which the certificates of candidacy has been filed and thus forestall a trustworthy willpower of the true will of the citizens.
