The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has decided against raffling the names of senatorial candidates for the 2025 midterm polls, opting instead for an alphabetical arrangement.
Chairman George Erwin Garcia explained that while party-list groups had their names raffled in 2019 to mitigate confusion from numerous participants, a similar approach for senatorial candidates would not be implemented.
The Comelec has accredited 160 party-list groups, with 156 submitting their nominations, while there are currently 183 candidates vying for a Senate seat.
Of these, 66 candidates have been deemed legitimate by the Law Department, with petitions filed against 117 others to declare them as nuisance candidates.
Garcia also noted that party-list groups could face disqualification if they are found to be religious organizations or if they receive support from foreign entities or the government.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 22, 2024
