THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has declared 47 people running for senator in the #BotongNgKabataan 2025 midterm polls to be nuisance candidates.
At present, the declaration as nuisance candidates can still be motioned to be appealed or reconsidered.
In total, 183 aspirants filed COCs to run for senator, with 66 being declared as legitimate and approved to run in 2025.
The Comelec received 221 petitions that were filed against nuisance candidates, with 117 filed against those for national posts, and 104 for those against local.
The following were declared nuisance candidates by the Comelec 1st division:
- Patrick Artajo
- Maria Charito Billones
- Roel Pacquiao
- Felipe Montealto
- Rex Noel
- Gerald Arcega
- Salvador Cabalida
- Elvis Beniga
- Orlando de Guzman
- Jonry Gargarita
- Abel Adorable
- Rolando Plaza
- Randy Red
- Getter Malinao
- Jimmy Salapantan
- Jacinto Bonayog
- Shirly Cuatchin
- Jefrey Andrino
- Peter Advincula
- Sunang Ditanongun
- John Escobar
- Eric Negapatan
- Injim Bunayog
- Froilan Serafico
- Sixto Lagare
- Princess Jade Ramos
- Primo Capuno
- Nheling Paliza
- Jovilyn Aceron
- Jerson Ares
- Rodolfo Basilan
- Melchor Lucañas
- Martin Mendoza
- Junbert Guigayuma
- Alexander Encarnacion
- Wilfredo Red
- Daniel Magtira
While the 2nd division declared the following as nuisance candidates:
- Celeste Aguilar
- Antonio Par
- Eduardo Bautista
- Miguelino Caturan
- Ismael Bajo
- Hernando Bruce
- Joel Apolinario
- Roberto Sembrano
- Fernando Diaz
- Omar Tomanong
What is a nuisance candidate?
As per Comelec chairman George Garcia, a nuisance candidate is someone who files a COC to put the election process in mockery or disrepute or cause confusion toward voters for having similar names to other candidates, or showing that they have no bonafide intention to run for office and prevent a faithful determination of the electorate’s true will.
The Comelec adopts a “totality rule”, which means that declaring nuisance candidates takes into consideration one’s lack of a political party and social media presence, as well as if they are running independently.
Other factors taken into account are whether or not a candidate has any policies, statements, or platforms.
One example of this is senatorial aspirant Beth Lopez, who has said in the past that she was the chosen one of God. She also claimed she would curse anyone who tried to disqualify her from the elections.
This was her third time attempting to run for senator.
“Kapag namatay ako, dinedeklara ko na babalik ang kaluluwa ko, parurusahan kayo,” she’d said in a past interview after filing her COC.
Another example is Daniel Magtira who, in the past, had claimed he was the husband of Kris Aquino. He’d attempted to run in 2015 as well as 2018.
In 2024, he has proclaimed his love for Senator Imee Marcos. He had said that since Aquino was always gone, he would marry Marcos instead.
In filing his COC, he sang a song for Marcos: “I will love you until death. I will always love you, my love is pure and I’m happy being with you forever.”
