Poll watchdog: Don’t vote for bets with drug links

MANILA, Philippines — For election watchdog Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), people only have two choices to prevent drug pushers and addicts from winning in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections this May:  either run in the polls or not vote at all.

Rona Caritos, LENTE executive director, said the public’s choices are limited, noting that even those into drugs or are included in the so-called narco list cannot be barred from participating in the coming electoral exercise.

Having links with drugs, she added, is not enough to disqualify any candidate.

“Opposition (to their candidacy) should always be based on (what is provided by) qualifications or disqualifications. (The) opposition can’t be filed on the basis of hearsay or public knowledge that a candidate is a drug lord or pusher,” Caritos explained.

She also pointed out that the power of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify motu proprio candidates who are linked to the illicit trade is also limited, unless a petition to deny due course or cancel certificate of candidacy is filed.

“They (Comelec) can’t do much. During the filing of COCs, their review is limited only to the four corners of the certificate, checking if the candidates correctly filled up the form,” Caritos said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) claimed that about 9,000 individuals, including barangay officials, are in the “narco-list” of President Duterte. This prompted Duterte to call for the postponement of the elections twice in the past.

Caritos urged the public to help in stopping those bets with drug links from winning in next elections by constructively engaging candidates during the campaign period or by opting not to vote for alleged drug pushers or users.

They may also consider running against the unfit candidates, she added.

Those interested to run in the barangay and SK elections may file their COCs from April 14 to 20.