BY GEROME DALIPE IV’
ILOILO City – The lack of financial resources does not justify disqualifying or branding a candidate as a “nuisance.”
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court En Banc overturned resolutions issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that canceled Juan Olila Ollesca’s certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2022 presidential elections.
Authored by Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, the decision emphasized that financial capability cannot serve as a definitive basis for disqualification.
It upheld the constitutional right of every Filipino to seek public office, ensuring that elections remain inclusive and accessible, irrespective of a candidate’s economic standing.
Ollesca’s case
Ollesca, an independent candidate who filed his COC in October 2021, was declared a nuisance candidate by the Comelec Law Department.
The department argued that he was relatively unknown and lacked the funds to sustain a nationwide campaign.
The Comelec Second Division supported this position, and the Comelec En Banc later denied Ollesca’s motion for reconsideration.
However, the SC reversed these rulings, emphasizing that a candidate’s financial resources or political connections should not determine their eligibility to run for office.
The SC clarified that the inability to fund a nationwide campaign does not equate to a lack of genuine intent to run for public office.
Under election laws, nuisance candidates are those who seek to make a mockery of the electoral process or confuse voters.
The SC noted that Comelec must provide substantial evidence proving a candidate has no serious intent to run, such as an inability to organize a campaign or a lack of public service background.
Safeguarding electoral inclusivity
The SC warned that requiring financial resources or political party affiliation as criteria for candidacy would effectively create a “property qualification,” which is explicitly prohibited by the Constitution.
“This landmark decision safeguards electoral inclusivity and ensures that economic status does not unfairly disqualify individuals from participating in the democratic process,” the SC stressed.
The SC ruling also underscored the principle that democracy should remain open to all citizens, regardless of wealth or social status, reinforcing the constitutional right to run for public office./PN
