COMELEC: NO SUBSTITUTION POLICY FOR 2025 RUNNING CANDIDATES

The Comelec plans to ban the substitution of candidates running after the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) in the 2025 midterm elections. According to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, he wants to recommend to the en banc the "No Substitution Policy" so that politicians do not get used to suddenly withdrawing and replacing even after filing a COC.

Shorter period for candidacy substitution (Photo courtesy of Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Garcia stated that, “We might no longer allow substitution of candidates. This means, maybe from Oct. 1 to 8, that’s period of filing of COCs, we will allow that when you withdraw, you can be substituted. But after Oct. 8, there will be no substitution of candidacy.” 

The filing for the 2025 midterm elections is scheduled from October 1 to October 8, when it passes en banc only candidates who are disqualified and passed away can be replaced.

“Let us not deceive the nation. Whoever is the candidate, he should be open about it, file your CoCs. Don’t be a front for someone who is, all along, the one who will be running,” Garcia added.

This is to stop political parties from deceiving the public about who their true candidate is. Garcia added that Comelec will consult with its legal department to determine if it can prohibit early campaigning even before the election period officially begins.

After automated polls were implemented, Garcia pointed out, the Supreme Court decided that candidates who had submitted their Certificates of Candidacy the year before could only be considered as candidates for the 45–90 day campaign period that falls within the election period, which typically runs from January to June of the following year.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that, with 2,548,324 people currently registered to vote, it will surpass its target of registering three million new voters for the May 2025 midterm elections.

It is stated that as people's understanding the importance of the right to vote has grown, more eligible voters are submitting their applications for registration. September 30, 2024, is the deadline for registering to vote.

Source: ABS-CBN News

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