Manila - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has disqualified 21 candidates, including 10 who emerged victorious in the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) held on October 30. The decision was based on findings of premature campaigning and vote buying.
According to Philippines News Agency, the disqualifications were initiated motu proprio by the First and Second Divisions of the commission.
The disqualified winners include two barangay chairpersons, three barangay councilors, two SK chairpersons, and three SK councilors. Additionally, 11 losing candidates, comprising nine SK councilor aspirants and two barangay councilor candidates, were also disqualified. The highest number of disqualified candidates was from Tarlac, followed by Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga, Manila, Quezon City, Rizal province, and Maguindanao del Norte province. The Comelec also revealed that 318 motu proprio disqualification cases are still pending, including 292 for premature/illegal campaigning and 26 for vote-buying and/or vote-selling. In light of these developments, the Comelec had previously ordered the suspension of the proclamation of winning candidates with pending disqualification cases.