Comelec resets period for filing of COCs

George Garcia —NIÑO JESUSORBETA

Heeding calls by politicians, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) pushed back by nearly two months the period of filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the Oct. 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Instead of the original schedule of July 3 to July 7, the filing period will now be from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2, according to Comelec Chair George Garcia.

The Comelec chief admitted that the poll body revised the schedule after politicians opposed the early filing of COCs nearly four months before the barangay and SK elections.

The schedule was revised “not only because of their calls but because we wanted all sectors to be prepared,” Garcia told reporters on Wednesday.

“Likewise, after reviewing our process, we believe that we can decide nuisance [candidacies] and disqualification cases expeditiously before the election,” he added.

The Comelec released the calendar of activities for the barangay and SK elections under Comelec Resolution No. 10899, dated Feb. 22.

The poll agency had given aspiring candidates from July 3 to July 7 to file their COCs, but set the official campaign period from Oct. 19 to Oct. 28.

Garcia had explained that candidates would be prohibited from campaigning from the time they filed their COCs until the start of the official campaign period, otherwise, they may be charged with premature campaigning, which is an election offense punishable with disqualification.

Sen. Francis Tolentino and Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting have opposed the early filing period.