Cited Laws
accordingly, deny due course to and/or cancel his CoC. The COMELEC Law Department argued that Mustapha's candidacy is merely a farce that puts the election process in mockery or disrepute. [8] Moreover, it maintained that Mustapha has no bona fide intent to run for senator. [9] In support of its arguments, the COMELEC Law Department alleged the following circumstances, namely: (1) Mustapha has no propensity to serve the public or be of service to others; [10] (2) Mustapha has no track record of his advocacies or civic engagements; [11] (3) Mustapha, through his representative, has not discussed his advocacies or platforms of government despite the opportunity given him immediately after the filing of his CoC on October 8, 2024; [12] (4) Mustapha has shown no interest in engaging with the public or making himself known to the masses; [13] and (5) Mustapha once ran for the position of Member, House of Representatives, in the Province of Lanao del Sur but gained only 5,387 votes or 2.01% of the total votes cast, suggesting that Mustapha's participation in the election served as more of a distraction, preventing the faithful determination of the true will of the electorate. [14] In his Answer [15] dated October 19, 2024, Mustapha denied all of the COMELEC Law Department's allegations. He averred that he is not a nuisance candidate and that he is a qualified and serious contender for the position of senator as evidenced by his academic background, leadership experience, commitment to labor advocacy, and personal program of governance. [16] As regards his academic background and capability, Mustapha claimed that he holds a law degree from Manuel L. Quezon School of Law and a specialization in Shari'ah Law from Mindanao State University, and earned units in the University of the Philippines' masteral program for Islamic studies. [17] He asserted that these achievements more than qualify him for senator as he is equipped with the skills necessary to address complex legislative matters, particularly those affecting the marginalized communities and workers. [18] On his advocacies and civic engagements, Mustapha claimed that he has actively participated in the labor sector, together with his co-aspirant and party-mate Atty. Jose Sonny Matula, who is the only remaining senatorial candidate of the WPP. [19] He averred that he has been, and still is, actively involved in assisting workers. He also maintained that he is dedicated to social justice and to the advancement of workers' rights. [20] Anent his platforms of government, Mustapha asserted that he subscribes to the WPP's platforms namely, the nationalization of the wage-setting system, termination of contractualization, regularization of long-term workers, and in general, the empowerment of workers through unionization and collective bargaining. [21] He further claimed that his personal platforms include the uplifting of marginalized sectors, promoting peace and development in Mindanao, and addressing co