Benedict Maravilla

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) clarified that elected officials can still be proclaimed even if they are not physically present during the proclamation ceremony.

Photo Courtesy of Philippine News Agency.

In an interview with media outlets on May 13, Comelec Spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said that ‘raising arms’ is only symbolic during the proclamation of winners.

“Lagi po kasi tayong nagtatanong kung ano ba yung proclamation. Kailan ka ba masasabing na-proclaim ka, kapag naitaas ba ‘yong kamay? Hindi po, ‘yong pagtaataas po ng kamay is only symbolic or ceremonial,” Laudiangco said.

The spokesperson said that once the certificate of canvass and proclamation had been signed and read publicly, the candidate shall be officially declared as the winner of the position that they ran for.

He explained that after the proclamation has been signed, the Board of Canvassers shall disseminate to the public the issue where they had convened and by releasing it to different concerned agencies, as well as by posting the declaration on bulletin boards.

When asked about the case of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, who won the mayoral race in Davao City and is currently in The Hague, Netherlands to face criminal cases charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Laudiangco said that he will still be proclaimed to the position as no order of suspension has been filed against him.

He said that the only time that the Board of Canvassers can suspend the proclamation of a certain candidate as a winner is when the commission or any court has declared it.

“Wala po tayong natatanggap na order from any court or from the commission na hindi dapat ma-proclaim (‘yong mga wala sa proclamation). Regardless kung si former President Duterte, lahat ng kandidato, kung wala ng order ng suspension, ipo-proclaim ka po ng boards,” he said.

Objections to proclamation 
On the suspension of the proclamation of winning candidates, Laudiangco said that these should be raised to the committee before the official proclamation.

The spokesperson also underscored that, like any other election-related rules, petitions for disqualification have a deadline to follow.

“Ang rule po kasi diyan, hanggang hindi na-proclaim ang isang kandidato, pwede pa rin masampahan ng petition for disqualification.  Pagdating ka petition for disqualification, ang deadline niyang proclamation,” he said.

Laudiangco said that the Comelec acts promptly when an order of suspension has been given to them so that they can catch the proclamation before the winning candidate is officially declared, so as not to make the order void.

As of May 12, Comelec has suspended the proclamation of 19 candidates, including Marcy Teodoro, who is a candidate for congressman of the First District of Marikina City, and the Pilipinas Babangon Muli (PBBM) Party-list.