Republic of the Philippines

Quezon City

16" CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

5113

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REP, EVELINA G. ESCUDERO

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

This bill seeks to provide for the disqualification of any person who has been defeated in
three (3) consecutive elections for the same public office running for the same office in the next
local or national elections.

Section 68 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881, otherwise known as the Omnibus Election Code,
provides for the disqualification of any of the following persons in filing their certificate of
candidacy: a) those declared as incompetent or insane of by competent authority; b) those
sentenced by final judgment for subversion, insurrection, rebellion or any offense for which he
has been sentenced to a penalty of more than 18 months imprisonment; c) those sentenced by
final judgment for a crime involving moral turpitude; and those immigrants to a foreign country.
Thus, any person who possesses the minimum qualifications and one of the above-cited
disqualifications may run for public office.

This bill seeks to provide additional disqualification by not allowing a person who has
been defeated for three consecutive elections from running again for the same public office. To
lose in three consecutive elections is clear proof of the people’s repudiation of the candidate who
intends to occupy the position, It would therefore be a waste of time and public resources to
include in the ballot for a fourth consecutive time the name of a candidate who had already been
clearly repudiated three times by the electorate.

In view of the forgoing, approval of this bill is highly recommended.

REP. EVELINA G, ESCUDERO

27 ocr 2014s)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ~ 3 wil PH

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

16 CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

5119

HOUSE BILL NO,

Introduced by REP. EVELINA G, ESCUDERO

AN ACT
DISQUALIFYING ANY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN DEFEATED IN THREE
CONSECUTIVE ELECTIONS FROM RUNNING FOR THE SAME PUBLIC OFFICE,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 881, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 68 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881, otherwise known as the “Omnibus
Election Code of the Philippines”, is hereby amended by adding a new paragraph to read as
follows:

“Sec. 68. Disqualifications. — Any candidate who, in an action
or protest in which he is a party is declared by final decision of a
competent court guilty of, or found by the Commission of having (a)
given money or other material consideration to influence, induce or
corrupt the voters or public officials performing electoral functions;
(b) committed acts of terrorism to enhance his candidacy; (¢) spent in
his election campaign an amount in excess of that allowed by this
Code; (4) solicited received or made any contribution prohibited under
Sections 89, 95, 96, 97 and 104: (e) violated any of Sections 80, 83, 85,
86 and 261, paragraph d, e,k.v and ce, sub-paragraph 6, shall be dis-
qualified from continuing as a candidate, or if he has been elected, from
holding the office. Any person who is a permanent resident of or an
immigrant to a foreign country shall not be qualified to run for any
elective office under this Code, unless said person has waived his status
as permanent resident or immigrant of a foreign country in accordance
with the residence requirement provided for in the election laws.

v


IN ADDITION, ANY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN DEFEATED
IN THREE CONSECUTIVE ELECTIONS SHALL NOT BE QUALI-
FIED TO RUN FOR THE SAME PUBLIC OFFICE IN THE NEXT
LOCAL OR NATIONAL ELECTION.

SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2)
national newspapers or general circulation.

Apprpoved,

we