THE House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved, with 195 votes on third and final reading, House Bill (HB) No. 10524, which seeks to remove the withdrawal of the certificate of candidacy (COC) as a ground for substituting candidates by political parties and add permanent incapacity as a new ground.
The chamber approved during its Wednesday plenary session the proposed law which seeks to amend Section 77 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 or the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines.
The bill acknowledges the need to strengthen the country’s electoral system by preventing the mockery of the electoral system by fielding candidates merely as placeholders just to comply with the electoral deadline of filing for candidacy.
The measure includes permanent incapacity as an additional ground for substitution of candidates to ensure that only those who are put in front of the public during the campaign period will be the ones to serve the people should they be elected.
“We need to include permanent incapacity as an additional ground for substitution of candidates to ensure that only those who are put in front of the public during the campaign period will be the ones to serve the people should they be elected,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said.
HB 10524 defines permanent incapacity as a mental or physical impairment, or both, based on a verified medical report of a licensed physician, rendering the candidate unable to perform the elected position’s duties, and which appears reasonably certain to continue without substantial improvement until the term of office which the candidate seeks to be elected for.
Authors of the bill include Representatives Johnny Ty Pimentel, Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” C. Villanueva, Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar, Ruwel Peter S. Gonzaga, Florida “Rida” P. Robes, Maximo Y. Dalog, Jr., Wowo Fortes, and Reynante U. Arrogancia, along with Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe.
