Senatorial aspirant declared a nuisance bet contests Comelec move

Felipe Montealto Jr. grants an interview after filing his motion for reconsideration for being declared as a nuisance candidate at the Commission on Elections headquarters in Manila. INQUIRER.net/John Eric Mendoza

MANILA, Philippines — A former Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson in Iloilo City who seeks a Senate seat slammed the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) move to declare him a nuisance candidate.

Felipe Montealto Jr., 44, said he is among the 58 aspirants that the Comelec First Division declared as nuisance candidates so far.

Montealto went to the Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila on Wednesday to contest the poll body’s decision.

His filing of a motion for reconsideration will raise the case to the Comelec en banc, and if it reaffirms the cancellation of his certificate of candidacy, Montealto said he would elevate the matter to the Supreme Court (SC).

“They were saying that I don’t have a political party to back my nationwide campaign, and I have not demonstrated well my platforms,” Montealto said in a chance interview with INQUIRER.net.

“I think they also have this comment on my dismissive attitude towards the commission,” he added.

Montealto said he is banking on the SC’s ruling in 2022 favoring animal welfare advocate Norman Marquez.

READ: ‘Nuisance’? SC backs bet rejected by Comelec

In 2021, Comelec denied Marquez’s senatorial bid for being “virtually unknown” and having no political party, but the SC said any Filipino who runs for public office cannot be deemed a “nuisance” and disqualified for lack of fame, money, or party machinery.

“It is not fair at all,” Montealto said of the Comelec First Division’s ruling on his case.

“But I will not dwell on the merits of my case, but to me, I’ll just push that my rights to suffrage should not be infringed by imposing several qualifications not sanctioned by the constitution,” he added.