Rizalito David asks SC to reverse decision upholding his disqualification

Rizalito David has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision upholding his disqualification as a nuisance candidate in the May 2016 presidential elections.

In a motion for reconsideration, David slammed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for considering a candidate's financial capacity to mount a nationwide campaign in declaring nuisance bets, saying such a requirement would be a discrimination against poor candidates.

"Ang reason kung bakit hindi kami pinayagan tumakbo ay dahil wala kami salapi, eh wala naman iyon sa requirements under the Constitution," David said in an interview Friday.

David filed his petition four days after the Comelec started printing the 57 million ballots for the upcoming elections.

"I am doing this not for myself. I am doing this for the rest of the candidates and the rest of the people who want to serve in government but do not have the resources to run," he said.

David, who claimed to belong to the Kapatiran party, said the poll body did not even give him a chance to prove that he could wage a national campaign using the volunteer networks he provided.

He citicized the Comelec for failing to cite facts and law as basis for not being "persuaded" by the list of individuals, organizations and other volunteers he provided to show that he could launch a national campaign.

"Comelec's explanation of petitioner's disqualification lacks basic logic when it goes on to explain the lack of a party or being a broadcaster makes for the conclusion that petitioner is out to make a mockery of the elections or to sow confusion," David's petition read.

The SC dismissed David's petition contesting his disqualification on February 4, ruling that the Comelec did not commit grave abuse of discretion when it declared him a nuisance candidate.

David, who lost in the 2013 senatorial elections, has another pending petition with the high tribunal contesting a decision by the Senate Electoral Tribunal that declared Sen. Grace Poe a natural-born Filipino eligible to run in the 2013 senatorial polls.

Poe is also running for president next year, but her bid was stopped by the Comelec after her certificate for candidacy was cancelled over citizenship and residency requirements. The SC is expected to submit for resolution, separate cases the lawmaker filed to contest her disqualification. —KBK, GMA News