(ABS-CBN) MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada has flagged the certificate of candidacy for councilor that was filed with an apparently in complete address. cy for councilor that was filed with an apparently in complete address.
“I have here a copy of the COC of one candidate for councilor in San Juan. Ang address niya, Unit A, N. Domingo. Unit A, N. Domingo. Napakahaba po ng kalina N. Domingo. Walang building, walang number,” Estrada said during the plenary deliberation on the Commission on Election’s 2025 budget.
“Hindi taga-San Juan ito. Basketball player. Well, I do not have anything against basketball players as long as they are legitimate residents of San Juan. Eh pinuno na ng basketball player yung Sangguniang Panlunsod sa San Juan. Hindi naman mga taga-San Juan. What are we going to do with this? Dapat yung EO ng San Juan, dapat they exercise due diligence. Ba’t tatanggapin itong COC na Unit A, N. Domingo? Anong klase ba naman ito?” Estrada said.
Senator Imee Marcos, speaking for the poll body as its budget sponsor, explained what can be done.
“Tama po kayo. Sabi nga ng Comelec, kung maari, unang-una sila na mismo ang maghain ng kaso laban sa mga punong barangay na kung ano-anong Certificate of Residence ang ini-issue. Pero sana po, yung mga nag-o-object sa mga numero na nakakasindak ar karagdagang botante kung maaari magfile din ng exclusion,” Marcos said.
“I think somebody filed already a disqualification case against this particular candidate. I hope the Comelec will act on it immediately para matanggal na sa balota itong pangalan ng kandidatong ito,” Estrada said.
“Sana maaksyunan kaagad ng Comelec itong disqualification case against this particular candidate,” he added.
Estrada did not name the candidate.
Meanwhile, Senator Nancy Binay also wants barangay officials to be held responsible for “abusing” the issuance of barangay resident certificates as a requirement for voter transfer or registration.
This, after a recent report submitted by Comelec showed some addresses in Makati that are either non-existent, uninhabited, or unfit for living.
According to Binay, these are already deemed “suspicious” and should be flagged for investigation.
She also said there has been an “unusual”’ increase of 55 percent in the number of new voters in the second district of Makati and 15 percent in the first district, far from the about 5 percent the “normal rise” in the voting population.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said the en banc will look into the issue and prosecute barangay officials responsible for it.