Nuisance candidates dropped; Comelec cancels 6 from Cebu

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has cancelled the certificates of candidacy of six aspirants in Cebu province who are running for national seats.

One wanted to run for president while five said they want to run for the senate.

Ralph Martirez Masloff, described as a a developer and a Lapu-Lapu City resident, filed a COC to run for president.

He only attached his American passport and Certificate of Birth issued by the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Bauan, Batangas to his COC.

He did not attach a sworn renunciation of his American citizenship. He also filed an incomplete COC.

“In filing his candidacy, he submitted three documents bearing different names,” said the Comelec report.

Comelec also cancelled the COCs of Quiterio Castilla, Joey Marcaida, Alejandrino Suarez, Victor Quijano, and Paul Bulilian who are seeking senate seats.

They were dropped as serious contenders due to their financial incapabilities to wage a national campaign.

“To put into the mix candidates with no serious intentions or capabilities to run a viable campaign would actually impair the electoral process,” stated the Comelec’s report.

It said the cancellation of the COCs was mostly due to the absence of proof that the applicants had the financial capacity to mount a credible campaign.

“They will not be able to sustain the financial rigors of waging a nationwide campaign,” the report read.

Campaign spending rules under Republic Act 7166 allow a presidential or vice presidential candidate to spend P10 for each registered voter.

For other positions, the limit is P3 per voter.

However, a candidate without any political party is allowed to spend P5 per registered voter.

Meanwhile, COMELEC announced that March 7, 2016 is the deadline of the filing of application to avail of the local absentee voting. Voting dates will be April 27 to 29.