Filtered By: Topstories
News

Señeres' party protests against Comelec's refusal to recognize substitute candidate


The political party of the late presidential bet Roy Señeres on Monday protested against the Commission on Elections (Comelec)  refusal to acknowledge Apolonia Soguilon as a substitute candidate.

The protesters, led by Workers and Peasants Party-Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka (WPP-PMM) Secretary-general Mel Chavez, laid seven white coffins at the Comelec's office at the Palacio del Gobernador in Manila. They explained that the coffins represented"the death of democracy."

 

 

Soguilon filed her certificate of candidacy last year as an independent and was declared among the 100 or so nuisance candidates for president.

 

 

"Sa amin pa lang pag-file, gusto na nila kaming alisin. Pangalawa, ang aming mga kandidato, ayaw nilang bigyan nang todo ng... Sino ba 'yung Grace Poe sa aming kandidatong abogado na si Atty. Polly Soguilon? Si Grace Poe, hindi naman siya abogada. Pero anong ginagawa ng Comelec? Si Grace Poe ang talagang kanilang dinidiinan na makasama sa halalan. Paano naman 'yung aming kandidato? Ngayon pa lang dinadaya na nila," he said.

"Itong protestang ito, ipaparating ko sa Comelec na huwag na ninyo kaming dayain dahil baka kayo ang hindi maganda mga pangyayari sa buhay ninyo (sic)."

He however emphasized that the coffins, bought for P2,000 each, were not a death threat against poll chief Andres Bautista and the six commissioners.

"No, no, ito ay freedom of the press," he said. "Natural, death of democracy na. Kabaong. Kamatayan na ng demokrasya. Kaya ang simbolo, kabaong."

Chavez said that after their protest, the coffins would be donated to those who needed them.

Señeres, a former diplomat and OFW Family Party-list representative, passed away in February due to complications from diabetes. His name, however, remains in the ballot for the May polls, with conflicting requests from his party and his family.

Comelec rules state that a candidate who dies may be substituted for up to noon of election day. He or she, however, must be replaced by someone from his party with the same last name.

Soguilon, who submitted her substitution before the Comelec a day after Señeres' death, disregarded this rule, arguing  that it was not in the law.

She later claimed that Bautista told her "verbally" that they were turning down her substitution. She has since sought relief from the Supreme Court. — DVM, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT