Comelec eyes data-sharing pact with Ombudsman regarding persons disqualified to hold public office

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia on Wednesday raised the possibility of having a data-sharing agreement with the Office of the Ombudsman to block the candidacies of persons who are perpetually disqualified to hold public office.

In an interview on Dobol B TV, Garcia explained that Comelec has no discretion to refuse to accept the certificates of candidacy of aspiring candidates under the law.

The Comelec chief said they can only reject the COCs of those who are overage for Sangguniang Kabataan positions and individuals who have residency issues.

For cases of individuals who may be disqualified on other grounds such as citizenship issues and conviction by courts, Garcia said the poll body has “no choice” but to accept their COCs.

“Maganda pag-isipan in the future, dito papasok ‘yung mga data sharing. Data sharing with Office of the Ombudsman. Ang kagandahan sa data sharing kahit walang documentation pagka pwede lang naming i-access kaagad, makikita na kaagad natin…Puwede po kami mag data share basta mapoprotektahan ang privacy ng mga tao,” he said.

(In the future elections, data-sharing agreements with other offices such as the Office of the Ombudsman is worth considering. Data sharing would allow us to access records of the court so we can decide immediately if we will accept their COC or not. We can do this as long as we protect their privacy.)

In the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, Garcia said they have cancelled the COCs of 11 candidates who were found to be perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Garcia, an election lawyer prior to his appointment as Comelec chief, explained that decisions of the Office of the Ombudsman are immediately executory.

Even if the cases have pending appeals, Garcia said the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman is still executory as long as there is no restraining order from the court. —KBK, GMA Integrated News