FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to expand the grounds for declaring a person who filed his or her 
certificate of candidacy a nuisance candidate to safeguard the integrity of the electoral 
process. 
Under Section 79 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 881, a candidate refers to any person 
aspiring for or seeking an elective public office, who has filed a certificate of candidacy 
by hinself or through an accredited political party, aggroupment, or coalition of parties. 
A nuisance candidate, on the other hand, under Section 49 of the same law, is a person 
who has filed a certificate of candidacy to put the election process in mockery or 
disrepute or to cause confusion among the voters by a similarity of the names of the 
registered candidates or by other circumstances or acts which clearly demonstrate that 
the candidate has no bonafide intention to run for the office for which the certificate of 
candidacy has been filed. 
In 2004, the records of the Commission on Elections reveal that there is a total of 
46,003 candidates vying for various local elective posts in the country. Of these, there 
are 690 candidates for cortgressmen, 242 for governor, 209 for vice governor, 1,802 for 
board members, 360 for city mayor, 369 for city vice mayor, 3503 for city councilor, 
3,845 for municipal mayors, 3,746 for municipal vice mayor and 31,237 for municipa1 
councilor. Of those who filed their certificates of candidacy for the Senate, 37 were 
given due course while 42 individuals were declared nuisance candidates. 
While the present laws clearly discourage those who do not have any intention 
or expectations to win in the elections to file their candidacy, such fact has not deterred 
these individuals from filing their candidacy. There is a need to broaden the grounds 
for canceling a certificate of candidacy on the grounds of being a nuisance candidate to 
protect the electorate from confusion and to ensure that the faithful determination of the 
true will of the electorate will be upheld. 
This bill aims to do that by adding to the enumeration of what a nuisance 
candidate a person that is shown to have filed a certificate of candidacy to obtain 
money, profit or any other consideration or to discredit another Candidate. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of the bill i s  earnestly sought. - 
LOREN LEGARDA 
Senator 


g &. -4 i:s:o: 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
EXPANDING THE GROUNDS FOR DECLARING A PERSON WHO FILED A 
CERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY A NUISANCE CANDIDATE, AMENDING 
SECTION 69 OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 881, AS AMENDED 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 69 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881, as amended, otherwise 
known as the Omnibus Election code is hereby amended to read as follows: 
SECTION 69. - Nuisance Candidates. - The Commission may, motu proprio or 
upon a verified petition of an interested party, AND AFTER DUE NOTICE 
AND HEARING, refuse to give due course to or cancel a certificate of 
candidacy, if it shown that THE CERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY HAS BEEN 
FILED UNDER ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES: to put the 
election process in mockery or disrepute [or]; 
1. 
to cause confusion among the voters by the similarity of the 
names of the registered candidates [or]; 
WHEN IT IS SHOWN THAT THE REASON FOCt FILING 
THE CERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY IS TO OBTAIN 
MONEY, PROFIT OR ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION. 
WHEN IT IS SHOWN THAT THE REASON FOR FILING 
THECERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY IS TO DISCREDIT 
ANOTHER CANDIDATE; 
2. 
3. 
4. 
By ANY other circumstances or acts which clearly 
demonstrate that Candidate has no bona fide intention to 
run for the office for which the certificate of candidacy has 
been filled and thus prevent a faithful determination of the 
true will of the electorate. 
SEC. 2. Repealing Clause.- 
All republic acts, executive orders, rules and 
regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, that are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Republic Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 


SEC. 3. Separability Clause.- If for any reason or reasons, any part or provision 
of this Act shall be declared or held to be unconstitutional or invalid other parts or 
provisions hereof, which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
effect. 
SEC. 4. Effectivity Clause.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general 
circulation. 
Approved,