Photo Release

Grounds for disqualification: Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito asks Commission on Elections chairman George Erwin Garcia if financial assistance to candidates in the coming national elections on May 12, 2025 is a ground for dismissal. “I read in the news regrading the so-called Chinese government-backed candidates…so, what actions could be taken on these? Can they be disqualified because they are receiving assistance from foreign nationals?” Ejercito asked. Garcia informed Ejercito that monetary assistance from foreign nationals or entities–including Filipinos who renounced their citizenship—is one of the grounds for dismissal of a candidate. “That is why we ask that a statement of contribution and expenditure is submitted. When we went to the Bangko Central ng Pilipinas, we expressed our hope that funds be monitored, especially financial assistance coming from outside,” Garcia said in Filipino, May 5, 2025. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)