Comelec seeks to stop nuisance bets looking for ‘five minutes of fame’

Comelec Chairman Atty. George Erwin Garcia. | PHOTO: Screengrabbed from COMELEC

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Erwin Garcia renewed his call to the lawmakers to criminalize nuisance candidates, some of whom, he said, are just seeking “five minutes of fame.”

Garcia made the call after the recent overturn of the nuisance candidate declaration of internet personality Norman Mangusin, better known as Francis Leo Marcos, which allowed him to run, only for him to withdraw his Senate bid that led to the delay of ballot printing for midterm polls.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday summoned Mangusin over his actions which the high court said “tend to bring the SC’s processes into disrepute or disrespect.”

Initially, the Comelec omitted Mangusin from the senatorial ballots after declaring him a nuisance candidate in November 2024.

On Jan. 21, the SC issued a temporary restraining order against Comelec, ordering the poll body to put Mangusin’s name on the ballot.

However, Mangusin withdrew his bid on Jan. 23, saying that he is backing the reelection of Sen. Imee Marcos.

“Sometimes, they are all for the five minutes of fame,” Garcia said during a roundtable interview with INQUIRER.net and the Philippine Daily Inquirer in Makati City on Thursday.

Despite this, Garcia said the Comelec has no choice but to accept their certificate of candidacy (COC).

“Even if we know that they are making a mockery, we have to accept the COC. Our time is getting wasted. They were allowed to speak on the stage, making a mockery [of the elections]. Then after the next elections they will file their COC again, then in the next elections they will be declared a nuisance,” Garcia said.

“They are now nuisance candidates for three consecutive terms,” Garcia said in jest, referring to the term limits for political aspirants stated in the constitution.

Garcia has also proposed the nuisance candidate designation against a political aspirant should become permanent at once.

READ: Comelec wants nuisance ruling vs bets like Francis Leo Marcos permanent

“There should be legislation,” Garcia said, noting that Section 69 of the Omnibus Election Code should be amended.

“We should impose a corresponding penalty and disqualification perpetually,” he added.

Garcia noted that, based on latest SC rulings, that Comelec’s designation of nuisance candidates is constitutional.

It can be recalled that 183 filed their COCs to formalize their Senate bid

Of whom, 117 other candidates were declared as nuisance while only 66 of them were included in the Comelec’s final ballot.