COMELEC Cleared Major Obstacles of Mayor Duterte’s Presidential Bid

The most popular presidential candidate on social media, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte made some initial victories after the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has cleared one of two major obstacles to his presidential bid. The poll body already junked a petition to declare Martin Diño a nuisance candidate.

According to the resolution of the Comelec Second Division the petition is “moot and academic.” They explained that Martin Diño, widely seen as Duterte’s “placeholder,” withdrew his certificate of candidacy (COC) on October 29. Mayor Duterte, who topped the presidential survey conducted by the SWS, Pulse Asia and DZRH filed his COC to substitute Diño on November 27.

The Comelec Second Division was quoted as saying “With the foregoing development, the relief prayed for in the present petition has become moot and academic, that is, whatever judgment is reached can no longer have any practical legal effect or, in the nature of things, can no longer be enforced,” the Comelec Second Division said.

The Comelec Second Division is composed of Commissioners Al Parreño, Arthur Lim, and Sheriff Abas – the same commissioners who recently disqualified Senator Grace Poe from the presidential race.

Before the decision of the Comelec favoring Mayor Duterte, the poll body’s law department earlier wanted to declare Diño a nuisance bet because he has “no bona fide intention to run for public office.”