Laguna gov files charges vs 2 nuisance bets

Commission on Elections. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez who is running to become Laguna’s 2nd District representative in the lower chamber, filed charges against two nuisance candidates bearing the same surname as his and the initial of their nicknames similar to his name which his camp asserts as intentional to confuse voters.
Hernandez filed election charges against Winy “Ram” Villanueva Hernandez and Dante “Romeo” Hernandez who filed their certificate of candidacies (COC) for the same position.
In an affidavit-complaint obtained by INQUIRER.net, which was also furnished to Comelec by his lawyers on Tuesday stressed that Winy and Dante’s nicknames are false.
“Respondent’s claim in the COC that her nickname or stage name is RAM is a ‘falsity,’” a three-page affidavit complaint for Winy said, with the complaint also pointing out that the respondent is commonly called “Winy” or “Winnie” in her community.
Another three-page affidavit complaint for Dante reads: “Petitioner asserts that Respondent’s sudden use of the name ‘Romeo Hernandez’ is a deliberate attempt to mislead voters and cause confusion.”
Article continues after this advertisementSection 69 of the Omnibus Election Code states that a nuisance candidate is someone who sought to cause confusion among voters by the similarity of their names, among other reasons.
Article continues after this advertisementIn previous elections, nuisance candidates were included in the ballots since the Comelec could act on nuisance candidates in local positions only when a petition has been filed, unlike in national positions where the poll body could act motu propio or with its own initiative.
The most notable incident about this occurred in 2022, which led to Comelec invalidating the victory of then-incumbent governor Henry Teves after the poll body credited the votes obtained by nuisance candidate Ruel Degamo to defeated gubernatorial candidate Roel Degamo.
Roel Degamo , along with eight provincial staff members and constituents, were killed, while 16 others, including three provincial officials, were wounded in a gun attack in the governor’s residence in Pamplona town on March 4, 2023.