• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The number of show cause orders issued by the Commission on Elections, to candidates for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in Negros Occidental, have risen further to 144, according to Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria.
The complaints against the candidates are still regarding premature campaigning, such as posting in social media and postering, Ananoria added.
He confirmed reports that some candidates facing complaints, as reported by the Comelec at the national level, are facing disqualification cases.
Ananoria however said he is not aware if some of those are candidates from Negros.
He further said that Comelec chairman Erwin Garcia is adamant in enforcing the law against violators.
Added to the list of violators were 8 candidates from Murcia, 2 in Bacolod City, and 8 in Binalbagan.
The Comelec reported that as of October 13, it has so far issued more than 6,000 show cause orders against candidates, allegedly for premature campaigning.
According to the Comelec Anti-Epal Taskforce, 6,463 show cause orders have already been issued, stemming from complaints filed with the poll body, ahead of the start of the campaign period on Oct. 19.
Of the number, 125 of 301 possible disqualification petitions have already been filed before the Comelec division following the Task Force verification process, as well as the reception of “unsatisfactory answers” from the candidates concerned.
The petitions will be raffled off among the divisions, summons will be served, followed by summary proceedings, the Comelec said.
The poll body had earlier vowed to come up with disqualification resolutions before the Oct. 30 polls.
Meanwhile, the Task Force Anti-Epal has issued 148 subpoenas to BSK bets with verified complaints and dropped 558 complaints due to a lack of factual basis.* with PNA reports
