Why is substitution due to withdrawal no longer allowed after COC filing?

THE Philippines will be holding its #BotoNgKabataan2025 midterm elections, as the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) kicked off on Tuesday, October 1.

Several candidates flocked to the Manila Hotel Tent City in Ermita, Manila to express their will to serve Filipino people if elected.

The first day of filing of COCs saw some familiar faces, including Senator Francis Tolentino who is seeking reelection. He is part of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s senatorial slate for the 2025 polls.

Several party-lists—including Ang Bumbero ng Pilipinas (ABP), Bayan Muna, Kabalikat ng Mamamayan (Kabayan), and Magsasaka Party-list—also submitted their COCs.

According to the Comelec’s list, 17 senators and 15 party-lists filed their respective COCs on Tuesday.

But will the roster of running candidates for the May 2025 elections unfold yet another plot twist?

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said no if a candidate will withdraw their candidacy after the deadline for filing of COCs on Tuesday, October 8.

Show sincerity

In May, Comelec Chair George Garcia said the Commission En Banc unanimously agreed to prohibit the substitution of candidates after the last day of filing of COCs, particularly if the reason is the withdrawal of candidacy.

This is to show their sincerity in their goal to serve the country.

“Para hindi nalilinlang ang sambayanan,” said Garcia. 

“Kung talagang nagnanais kang magbigay ng iyong serbisyo sa publiko, hindi po ba mas maganda, kung talagang desidido ka, ilatag mo na kaagad, mag-file ka na kaagad ng kandidatura,” he continued.

Garcia told candidates to be firm with their decision to run for the upcoming polls.

“Yung mga kakandidato, lay your cards on the table. Yung mga kakandidato, sabihin niyo na harapin niyo na, kayo ang kandidato at wala na tayong palitan,” he said.

Substitution will only be allowed after October 8 if the candidate dies or is disqualified. 

However, Garcia noted that only those with the same family name and the same political party could replace them.

Previous substitutions

In the past Philippine elections, the Comelec had separate periods for the filing of COCs and substitution of candidates.

One example was during the 2022 National and Local Elections when the withdrawal of candidacy was allowed until November 15, 2021.

Substitutions could still be authorized after the November 15 deadline, but only for candidates who died and were disqualified.

As expected, Filipino voters witnessed a substitution drama when former Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte decided to run for vice presidency under the Lakas-CMD party, replacing Lyle Uy who was the party’s initial vice presidential candidate.

But the current vice president was not the first Duterte to cause such a plot twist for the elections.

Her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, substituted the late Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Martin Diño who withdrew his candidacy for presidency in the 2016 National and Local Elections. 

This was after the elder Duterte said in September 2015 that he would not run as a presidential candidate for the 2016 polls. He later became the Philippines’ 16th president.

Election period

For the upcoming 2025 polls, around 68 million Filipino voters—including eligible Gen Z voters—will elect over 18,000 government officials.

The election period will run from January 12 until June 11, 2025. During this five-month period, a gun ban will be implemented in the country.

The campaign period will start on February 11 to May 10 for aspiring senators and party-list representatives.

Meanwhile, local bets can only start their election campaign from March 28 to May 10.

The voting day will be held on May 12, with the implementation of a liquor ban and prohibition of campaigning.

With the filing of COCs still ongoing, Filipinos can only hope that those who intend to run for public office have sincere intentions to serve their countrymen and help improve the state of the nation.