Señeres' party asks Comelec to deny family's request to remove his name from ballot

The political party of the late OFW Family Club party-list Rep. Roy Señeres has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to deny the request of his family to remove his name in the ballot for the May elections.

The Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka (PMM), through its secretary-general Melchor Chavez, filed a very urgent manifestation on Thursday, saying that the one filed by the Señeres family via lawyer Candelaria Rivas was unauthorized.

"[T]he aforesaid Manifestation of the family of Roy V. Señeres runs against the stand or position of the petitioner to nominate and to field a substitute candidate for the position left vacant due to the death of Roy V. Señeres," PMM's manifestation read.

Señeres died of complications due to diabetes on Monday morning, days after he withdrew his candidacy for president.

In its manifestation, the PMM also reiterated its motion to have its substitute candidate, lawyer Apolonia Soguilon, "admitted and included" in the official ballot.

Soguilon was one of at least 100 presidential aspirants whose candidacies were earlier deemed nuisance by the Comelec.

Opposing motions

On Tuesday, both the party and Señeres' family filed opposing manifestations following the lawmaker's death.

At around 10 a.m. that day, the party filed a "notice of death" with the Comelec law department, asking that Señeres' position in the ballot be "left vacant" for the candidate it would nominate.

Chavez then accompanied Soguilon to the poll body's main office at past 2 p.m. to submit a petition to have her included in the ballot. She also submitted a copy of her certificate of candidacy, as well as a certificate of nomination and acceptance from the party.

Soguilon dismisses Comelec rule that candidate who dies may be substituted within same party AND OF SAME SURNAME. pic.twitter.com/ZK1WhdT12V

— R-A. Dioquino (@AicaDioquino) February 9, 2016

But some two hours later, Rivas submitted a separate manifestation and motion in behalf of the family, saying that based on Señeres' last wishes, they would not be fielding nor endorsing any candidate for president.

Señeres' daughter, Hannah, came to the Comelec main office a few minutes later and said the party's substitute was "in no way endorsed" by their family.

Hannah Señeres says fielding substitute for her late dad is party's "own volition," "in no way" endorsed by family. pic.twitter.com/PEwunaRw3e

— R-A. Dioquino (@AicaDioquino) February 9, 2016

'Remove out of respect'

Under rules on involuntary substitution—in case of death or disqualification—a political party has until mid-election day to field its substitute, provided that he or she is a member of the party and of the same surname.

Earlier,  Andres Bautista told GMA News Online he believed that out of respect for Señeres, his name should be removed from the ballot.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said Soguilon's submission will be accepted as part of the "ministerial" duties of the poll body.

However, the merits of her substitution will "undergo the legal process," he said, adding that the poll body would rather "preserve" Señeres' legacy as a champion for OFWs than make him "a name on the ballot that could not be voted for." —KBK, GMA News