Amid the noise of the disqualification cases filed
against candidates in the 2016 elections, the Commission on Election
(Comelec) must uphold and the public must observe the country's election laws
and its regulations for a fair, credible and orderly election next
year, Senate President Franklin M. Drilon said.
“We
have rules which are necessary for an orderly society,” Drilon said during
this week’s Kapihan sa Senado, when sought for comment on statements made by
former President Fidel Ramos to leave the disqualification cases against
presidential aspirants in the hands of the people to decide.
“If
we just say that we let the people decide, then we might as well throw all the
rules out of the window, let’s discard all the rules, and let everybody run,”
Drilon stressed.
The
former Justice Secretary said there are rules that govern the conduct of
elections in the country, which the Comelec is duty-bound to observe and
implement.
He
added that these rules are in accordance with the Constitution that provides
clear guidelines regarding the conduct of elections in the country.
“We have basic rules
which in any civilized society will be necessary in order to prevent disorder.
So if you are saying just let the people decide, precisely there are rules in
order that people can rationally decide,” Drilon said.
He pointed out that
it is due to these rules and regulations that the Comelec has to validate every
certificate of candidacy (COC) filed before it and prevent nuisance candidates
from running.
“Why do we
disqualify people because they are nuisance candidates? Because we have certain
rules to follow,” he added.
He
pointed out that if the Comelec will go along with the let-the-people-decide
philosophy, then the poll body erred in voiding the COCs filed by the other 125
presidential aspirants.
“If
we are to apply the let-the-people-decide philosophy on the disqualification
cases against Senator Grace Poe and Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, then the Comelec
should have also allowed ‘Archangel Lucifer,’ ‘Kuya P,’ ‘Kapitan Kuryente,’ and
all other individuals who filed their COCs to run for president,” Drilon said.
“We
cannot provide exemptions to individuals under our laws and regulations while
denying the same to others. If we leave the case of Poe and Duterte in the
hands of the people to decide, then we should also ask them to decide on the
fate of the 125 nuisance candidates who want to run for president. A situation
like that is unacceptable,” the Senate chief concluded.
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