Votes for bets with cancelled COCs counted as stray – Comelec

 MANILA, Philippines — Votes cast for a candidate or regional parliamentary political party, whose certificate of candidacy is cancelled by final judgement, shall be considered as stray, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Friday.

This came after Moro Ako Party and Anwar Salipada Alamada were denied their motion of reconsideration regarding their registration and accreditation in the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections on Sept. 14.

“Kung maging final ang desisyon ng Comelec, walang restraining order mula sa Korte Suprema, lahat ng boto sa kanila ay stray,” Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said during an ambush interview at the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the BARMM election’s random manual audit.

(“If the Comelec’s decision becomes final and there is no restraining order from the Supreme Court, all votes cast for them will be considered stray votes,”) 

READ: Moro Ako loses appeal as Comelec upholds BARMM registration cancellation

In a notice issued by the commission early Friday, the Moro Ako Party was alleged declaring non-existent chapters. The Comelec en banc had then denied their motion for reconsideration for lack of merit.

Alamada was also denied his motion of reconsideration in the cancellation of his certification of candidacy (CO) as 5th representative of Maguindanao del Sur after the second division found his declaration of residency “constitutes a false material representation intended to mislead the electorate and the Commission.”

However, Garcia said that while the second division has not yet reached a final decision, candidates may still file for a temporary restraining order before the Supreme Court. /gsg