THE Supreme Court affirmed Tuesday the rulings of Commission on Elections (Comelec) that disqualified 12 more aspirants eyeing for national posts in the May 2016 elections for being nuisance candidates.
"The court ruled to dismiss the petitions for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus with applications against Comelec's ruling cancelling aspirants' certificate of candidacy on the ground of their being nuisance candidates for the reason that the Comelec did not act with grave abuse and discretion," the decision reads.
The high court dismissed the petitions of the following presidential aspirants: Ranulfo Feliciano, Maria Aurora Marcos, Simeon de Castro, Dante Valencia, Rodel Mancilla and Pedrito Diaz Tagle.
Petition of aspiring vice president Teodulo Malangen has also been dismissed as well as petitions of the following senatorial aspirants: Efren Bernabe Cadiz, Mary Lou Estrada, Amay Bisaya (Roberto Gloria Reyes), Roger Alim Rodriguez and Sixto Lagare.
Apart from the aspirants, the high court also dismissed the petitions for certiorari of several groups who appealed after the Comelec's refusal to register and accredit them as a party-list for 2016 elections.
The SC dismissed the petitions of the following groups:
· 1st Kabagis (1st KABAGIS)
· Aagapay sa mga Bata at Taong Kapus-Palad (ABATAKA)
· Abante Bicol Oragon-Philippines Inc (ABO)
· Bukluran ng Malayang Mamamayan at Kawal sa Kuta Bonifacio (BUMAKA)
· Kampilan ng Lakan Inc. (KAMPILAN)
· Movement against Dynasty (MAD)
· Peace Advocates and Reformation of Democratic System Inc (PARDS)
· Ang Laban ng Indiginong Pilipino (ALIF)
· Alliance of Cavite L4and Reform Tenant Association Inc
· Bumabagang Sigaw ng Lahing Kayumanggi Kalayaan sa Kahirapan
· Samahang Magbabasura Inc.
The SC also dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by the following parties for lack of merit:
· Ely Pamatong
· Mindanao Alliance for Reforms (MAR)
· People’s Movement for Democratic Governance Inc.
The SC has been clearing the list of eligible candidates before the printing of election ballots on February 8. The high court has also yet to decide on the disqualification case of presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe.
(Sunnex)