Postponing COC filing may delay ballot printing—Comelec

Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez. INQUIRER file photo

Postponing the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the May 2019 elections may delay the printing of ballots, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Spokesperson James Jimenez warned on Tuesday.

Both chambers of Congress—the Senate and the House of Representatives—adopted a measure on Monday urging Comelec to postpone the COC filing by a week, from October 1-5 to October 11-17.

“Definitely malaki epekto niyan kasi uurong lahat ng activities eh. Parang dominoes ‘yan, kung tinumba mo ‘yong isa, tumba lahat [Definitely there will be a huge effect because all the activities will be adjusted. It is like dominoes when one falls down, everything follows],” Jimenez said in an interview over DZMM .

Jimenez said that Comelec needs sufficient time to screen candidates for nuisance, print out ballots and distribute the ballots across the country. Postponing the filing of COCs, he said, will push back all these activities.

“If inurong natin ‘yan [COC filing], lahat ‘yan uurong, baka Enero na nag-iimprinta pa tayo,” he said.

The Comelec also needs to prepare for the plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which was set on January 21, the spokesperson noted. /jpv

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