Making sense out of nuisance candidates

Salam Emilio Delin Sr. y Lacan Luisong Tagean claims that he owns the Philippines. Yeah that’s right, all 7,107 islands. Not just Fortune Island, but Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Daniel Magtira on the other hand, claims something else. The self proclaimed “rock star” claimed that Kris Aquino, sister of President Noynoy Aquino, was his wife, even placing it on his Certificate of Candidacy. Later, he retracted his statements saying he was still “courting” her.

These and more are just some recent examples of what has added both humor and hassle to the electoral process: nuisance candidates.

But what exactly is a nuisance candidate? The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism cites Section 69 of the Omnibus Election Code as amended by Section 5 of Republic Act No. 6646 (The Electoral Reforms Law of 1987), which defines a “nuisance candidate” as: 1) one who files his candidacy to put the election process in mockery or disrepute, 2) one who causes confusion among the voters by the similarity of the names of the registered candidates, and 3) one who, based on demonstrable circumstances or acts, has no bona fide intention to run for office. Basically, anyone who puts the integrity of the electoral process on the line is a “nuisance candidate”.

Participating in elections costs a lot of money so why do they still do it despite their obvious eventual disqualification? Is it the same blind ambition that drives millions to join American Idol even if their voices shriek otherwise? Or is it because they feel that they can really make that change?

We may never really know but one thing’s for sure, they have got guts. Guts to stand up to a system that has dominated the landscape of Philippine politics for decades. Guts to try and become more active citizens, ones that try to add bite to their bark. They do the things some of us only dream of doing or at the most, propose to our friends and relatives: stand up. They may look silly on TV, but their actions should inspire us to stand up to the people who have been in office for years, or even decades, but have failed to do anything of value to the Filipino people.

In any election, be it here or in America, we always look for change. Whether it’s a change in philosophy or a change in officials, we want it simply because we don’t like what we see. But do we actively do anything about it? For me, their efforts should inspire us to make a move, no matter how foolish they seem to be. What these “candidates” lack in credibility, they make up for with their determination and heart. If we really want change, we have to start with ourselves.

At times, you can’t help, but feel bad for them. Here they are making claims that can leave us scratching our heads. The media makes fun of them while others shake their heads in disbelief. They carry themselves with the same charisma our trapos (traditional politicians) have yet what they say sadly isn’t as believable as they want it to be. For them, the period of filing for their candidacy is their moment in the spotlight. Just like in American Idol, anyone is free to audition. But once the judges make their decision, the weeds are separated from the plants.

Whether you like them or not, these “nuisance” candidates are here to stay. In a society that calls itself a democracy, everyone gets a fair chance to be an active participant in the electoral process. But in the end, we ask ourselves, do candidates like them do more harm than good?