Comelec: One-year appointment ban on losing candidates in effect

The Commission on Elections reiterated Monday that unsuccessful Eleksyon 2025 candidates could not be appointed to any government position one year after the polls. 

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia made the remarks after a losing local candidate posted on social media a photo with government officials, thanking them for the opportunity to serve again. The post has been take down.

Sought for comment, a staff of one of the officials seen in the photo told GMA News Online that no appointment has been issued yet because of the ban. 

"Wala pa daw appointment...Hindi pa kasi nga next year pa siya pwede i-accommodate," the staff said.

(There is no appointment yet...Not now because she can only be accommodated next year.)

Garcia said the Constitution and the election code are clear on the matter.

"Nakalagay sa ating Saligang Batas saka sa election code na bawal ang kahit anong appointment sa pamahalaan isang taon pagkatapos ang elections," he told reporters.

(The Constitution and the election code prohibit appointments one year after the polls.) 

"Kung ano ang nature ng appointment, maaaring 'yan ay debatable. Maaaring subject sa interpretation pero kami basta appointment, kino-consider namin na prohibited. Kung paano nila ide-depensa ang sarili nila sila ang bahala diyan. Nasa sa kanila yan," he added. 

(The nature of the appointment may be debatable or subject to interpretation but for the Comelec, we consider all appointments as prohibited. How they will defend themselves is up to them.)

The 1987 Constitution states that “no candidate who has lost in any election shall, within one year after such election, be appointed to any office in the government or any government-owned or controlled corporations or in any of their subsidiaries”. 

Violators, including those who issued the appointment, may be subject to criminal, administrative, and civil charges, according to Garcia. 

“Inuulit natin, lahat ng natalo sa halalan, 'di pupwedeng maitalaga sa pamahalaan one year after ng elections,” he added. 

(Again, all losing candidates are not allowed to hold government positions a year after the polls.) —with Joahna Lei Casilao/AOL, GMA Integrated News

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