Day One of COC filing in Cebu went smoothly, says poll exec

CEBU CITY — Everything went “smooth“ on the first day of the filing of the certificates of candidacies (COCs) in Cebu province as only a handful of candidates officially lodged their intent to run for the 2022 polls.

The first one to file his COC was the younger brother of Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, Pablo John, who is seeking reelection as a congressman in the third legislative district of Cebu province.

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. also filed his COC on Friday. He is not seeking reelection but instead declared his intent to be the first district congressman of Cebu province.

The filing for provincial and congressional posts is done at the Provincial Comelec Office located inside the Capitol building in Cebu City. Chairs were also placed for companions of candidates who were not allowed to enter the conference room.

Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Castillano said the candidates so far are cooperative and did not bring a huge entourage.

The governor and her potential challenger, former Tourism secretary Ace Durano, are expected to file their COCs next week.

For Cebu City candidates, the filing of the COCs was done at the Cebu City Comelec office near the Basilica del Santo Nino.

The road outside the Cebu City Comelec office is closed to traffic. There is also limited access to the public, with the police checking on people who wish to enter the cordoned area.

Castillano said that candidates often file COCs later and on specific dates believing in lucky dates. Some also file their COCs on the last days to gauge their potential opponents.

However, the provincial election supervisor reminded the candidates, especially those who file on the last day, to ensure their documents were complete.