House panel to unify bills vs candidate substitution
Quezon City 6th District Rep. Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar. Photo from House of Representatives of the Philippines
THE House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms on Tuesday decided to consolidate the bills seeking to ban the substitution of candidates due to withdrawal after the last day of filing of certificates of candidacy (CoCs).
In a meeting, the panel deliberated on the bills and approved the drafting of a substitute bill — subject to style and amendments.
These bills, which seek to amend Batas Pambansa 881 (Omnibus Election Code), included House Bill (HB) 8794 filed in August 2023 by Quezon City 6th District Rep. Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar.
“Under this proposed legislation, withdrawal of a candidate from their candidacy shall no longer be allowed as a valid ground for substitution,” she said of HB 8794 during the meeting.
Co-Pilar also proposed that permanent incapacity be grounds for substitution.
“This ensures that the political parties have recourse in the event of unforeseen circumstances that render a candidate unable to fulfill their duties,” she said.