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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative 
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Pursuant to Section 77 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 881, otherwise known as the 
Omnibus Election Code, aspiring candidates for elective offices can be substituted or 
replaced. Candidate substitution is the practice of a party in substituting a different 
candidate for a particular political office for one who has already filed a certificate of 
candidacy. It is allowed in cases of death, withdrawal, or disqualification of the original 
candidate. 
While the salient provision affirms the absolute observance of an electoral democracy, 
it has been exploited especially in the recent years. On several occasions, placeholder1 
candidates are enlisted to simply keep the slot open for another candidate.2 It is 
strategically used to delay and buy time for the actual intended candidate to gain 
public and material support. Likewise, the strict compliance on deadlines imposed by 
the COMELEC is often overlooked as substitution has always been available. The 
enlistment of placeholder candidates is a direct mockery of the sanctity of the electoral 
1 A placeholder candidate is used as a temporary stand-in for ballot access petitioning purposes until the actual nominees are 
decided. 
2 Rappler. Confessed placeholders not automatically considered nuisance bets. Information retrieved from 
https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/comelec-response-confessed-placeholders-considered-nuisance-bets. Dated October 
13, 2021 
November 24, 2021
3:49 pm
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process in our country. Thus, this measure seeks to amend the abovementioned 
provision and modify the grounds for substitution of candidates.  
MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
Representative 
Magdalo Para Sa Pilipino Party-List 


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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative 
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
AN ACT 
MODIFYING THE GROUNDS FOR SUBSTITUTION OF CANDIDATES, 
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE SECTION 77 OF BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 
881, S. 1985, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 77 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 881, series of 1985, otherwise 
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known as the “Omnibus Election Code,” is hereby amended to read as follows: 
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“SECTION 77. Candidates in case of death, INCAPACITY OR disqualification 
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[or withdrawal] of another. – If after the last day for the filing of certificates of 
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candidacy, an official candidate of a registered or accredited political party dies, 
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BECOMES INCAPACITATED [withdraws] or is disqualified for any cause, only 
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a person belonging to, and certified by, the same political party may file a 
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certificate of candidacy to replace the candidate who died, BECOMES 
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INCAPACITATED [withdrew] or was disqualified. The substitute candidate 
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nominated by the political party concerned may file his certificate of candidacy 
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for the office affected in accordance with the preceding selections not later than 
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mid-day of the day of the election. If the death, INCAPACITY [withdrawal] or 
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disqualification should occur between the day before the election and mid-day 
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of election day, said certificate may be filed with any board of election 
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inspectors in the political subdivision where he is a candidate, or, in the case of 
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candidates to be voted for by the entire electorate of the country, with the 
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Commission. 
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Sec. 2. Separability Clause.– If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
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remain in force and effect. 
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Sec. 3. Repealing Clause.– Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this 
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Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.  
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SEC. 4. Effectivity.– This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
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its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved,