COMELEC DISQUALIFIES ERICE IN 2025 POLLS

FORMER  Caloocan City congressman Edgar “Egay” Erice was disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from running in the upcoming 2025 national and local elections.

Erice is planning to run as congressman in the 2^nd district of Caloocan.

In a 13-page resolution promulgated by the 2nd Division on November 26, the Comelec said Erice’s acts of propagating false information across multi-platforms demonstrates his deliberate intent to disrupt elections.

Raymond Salipot filed the petition to disqualify Erice after the latter submitted his Certificate of Candidacy on October 7, 2024.

In his petition, Salipot said Erice used alarmist language to incite public fear, stating in public unverified allegations of bribery and corruptions against Comelec, which according to the petitioner was unfounded.

Erice has repeatedly called on the Comelec to reuse the decade-old machines supplied by previous poll tech provider Smartmatic, while questioning the credibility of its successor, the Korean-based Miru Systems.

Erice repeatedly characterized the Philippines as a “guinea pig” in the coming elections, asserting that the automated counting machines and system procured by the Comelec from South Korea-based provider Miru Systems have never been used in any election worldwide.

The former congressman further claimed that the Comelec’s P18-billion contract with Miru was highly anomalous and the procurement was rigged.

Salipot had previously sought Erice’s disqualification for “deliberately spreading false and alarming reports” to disrupt the electoral process and cause confusion among voters.