Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said they aim to resolved all disqualification and cancellation of candidacy cases involving national and local candidates by June.

“‘Yung tungkol sa disqualification cases, cancellation of candidacy involving national positions tulad ng senador, party-list, at legislative district, ang timeline natin, bago mag-June 30, dapat ma-resolve namin,” Garcia said.

Garcia said the Comelec is processing thousands of pending cases.

“Medyo napakadami po ang mga tinatanggap nating disqualification case, mga pending na kaso na nire-resolve natin,” Garcia said.

“Asahan na sa mga susunod na araw, may mga ilalabas pa tayong desisyon. Tulad nung mga nakaraang araw, may mga inilabas tayong desisyon kaugnay sa disqualification case ng mga kandidato,” he said.

Garcia said that even if a candidate has been proclaimed already or lost in the polls, the Comelec will still issue a decision.

“Ang isang kasong disqualification ay may dalawang mukha. Puwedeng disqualification case na pagtatanggal na kandidato o election offense o kasong kriminal. Maaaring makaligtas sila sa disqualification pero hindi sila makakaligtas sa election offense,” Garcia said.

(A disqualification case has two faces: removal from public office, or an election offense or criminal case. They may escape disqualification but they may not get off the hook from an election offense.)

As for election protests, the Comelec chairman said the poll body’s jurisdiction only covers local positions such as “governor, vice governor, sangguniang panlalawigan, city mayor, city vice mayor, at sangguniang panlungsod.”

“Yung election protests, hanggang kahapon, dumagsa ‘yung pagpa-file ng kaso sa amin. ‘Yung 10-day period to file protest, mandatory period ‘yun. Walang extension ‘yun,” Garcia said.

(Until yesterday, we received a high volume of election protests. Our 10-day period to file a protest is mandatory and has no extension.)