THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) cannot conduct snap elections without a specific law mandating such a process, according to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia. Garcia stated on Monday that neither the current Constitution nor existing laws provide a framework for holding snap elections in the Philippines.
“For the part of Comelec, we cannot hold an election or special elections without a law. We need a mandate of law because it is our duty to implement a law,” Garcia said in an interview. “Without a law, we cannot hold an election.”
Garcia explained that the 1987 Constitution establishes fixed term limits for government officials and outlines a rule of succession in cases of permanent disability, death, removal from office, or resignation of high-ranking officials. He contrasted this with parliamentary systems, where a “loss of confidence” vote can trigger immediate elections to replace leaders.
The Comelec chief’s statement comes in response to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s suggestion of holding snap elections for the President, Vice President, Senate, and Congress, with incumbents barred from running in that cycle, as a way to address a perceived loss of public trust in the government.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III has already rejected the idea, asserting that the country lacks the constitutional and legal basis for snap elections. Other senators have also weighed in, with Senator Panfilo Lacson arguing that certainty of punishment for corrupt politicians is a more effective solution than snap elections.
Garcia acknowledged that implementing snap elections would likely require either a constitutional amendment or the passage of a new law, a potentially complex and lengthy process. The Philippines recently held its midterm elections in May, electing a new set of lawmakers and local government officials.
