Manila bet’s ‘substitution’ causes confusion

Will the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila will still count the votes cast for congressional candidate Ma. Zenaida Benedicto Angping, who was "substituted" for her husband, incumbent Manila Rep. Harry Angping?

One official said he believes the poll body should, citing the absence of official order disqualifying the third district congressman for not being a Filipino citizen.

"Unless we receive an official communication or order from our superiors, we will still count the votes cast on the subject candidate," lawyer Calixtro Ramos, registrar of the Comelec-third district told The STAR.

Ramos noted that his office has yet to receive resolution or any information about the petition to disqualify Angping, of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), for not being a Filipino citizen.

He clarified that the matter is outside his jurisdiction and they are just waiting for instructions from the higher ups.

However, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos earlier said the "disqualified" Angping cannot be replaced by his wife.

In an interview, Abalos explained that under the law, if there is no qualified candidate from the start there is no one to replace.

Abalos said that it was possible that when the lawmaker learned that he would be disqualified, he decided to withdraw and have his wife take his place.

Angping has argued that there has been no resolution whatsoever on his disqualification issued by the Comelec.

Still, Angping’s political rival Councilor Miles Roces said he is now the lone candidate for the congressional race in the city’s third district.

Roces, a son-in-law of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, maintained that the Comelec-first division had already disqualified Angping for not being a Filipino on April 30, or four days before Angping officially withdrew his COC and was substituted by his wife, thus making the substitution null and void.

"The withdrawal of Angping’s COC was anteceded by his disqualification, there can therefore be no substitute candidate for him," Roces’s lawyer Romulo Macalintal said.

Before the Comelec could announce a decision on the issue, Angping withdrew the race and tapped his wife to substitute him. Under the principle of substitution, a candidate, who backs out from any elections, can be replaced by another member of his political party. — With Jose Aravilla