EDITORIAL — Removing nuisance bets

As of yesterday, the Commission on Elections has declared 24 more senatorial candidates as nuisances, preventing them from running in the May 2025 midterm polls.

This brings the total number of people who cannot run for senator next year to 71, out of some 300.

The report didn’t say what made the Comelec decide a candidate was a nuisance.

What exactly makes one a nuisance bet? In the past Comelec has declared that anyone who doesn’t have the wherewithal to mount a credible national campaign is removed. In other words, those who are too poor to fund a campaign can never run for senator. Or at least those who can’t be funded by others.

In the past they have also removed those who don’t have a political party. Although it would seem that those who are famous enough nationally but who decided to run as “independents” have made it through.

Comelec has their reasons for coming up with their decisions, inconsistent or unfair as these may be to others.

Here’s another idea. This early Comelec should also remove the other kind of nuisance candidates. The action stars, the comedians, the TV hosts, the athletes, and others who clearly have no background in public service or making legislation.

These are candidates whom political parties are fielding banking solely on their claim to fame with no consideration whatsoever regarding their experience in public service and lawmaking. They are there just there to boost a party’s popularity and draw the “masa” in.

There will be those who argue that we cannot know how a neophyte performs as a senator unless we put him there. And there is some truth to this. But to have a shot at becoming a senator we believe one should have the necessary qualifications. And right now it seems many who are in the Magic 12 of surveys do not deserve to be senators.

This is the Senate for goodness’ sake, the legislative body of the nation! We don’t want it run by action stars, comedians, TV hosts, athletes, or others who although may have vast experience in their field of expertise but have no idea or inkling when it comes to crafting laws and making measures designed to make Filipino lives better.