THE COMMISSION on Elections may only be able to come out with the final list of candidates for the May 2016 elections on Jan. 8, 2016.
Comelec chair Andres Bautista said that by Jan. 8, the Comelec will no longer allow any changes on the list of candidates as the printing of the ballots will already be under way by the third week of January.
“The question is, when you can no longer edit. I think we were told around Jan. 8,” he told a press briefing Tuesday.
The Comelec was expected to come out with the final list of candidates Tuesday.
The Comelec chair explained that the commission en banc was not able to complete the list of candidates because of the many pending motions for reconsideration before the body.
Bautista said they are now looking to release an initial list of candidates on Dec. 23.
“We have moved our initial loading of data, including the list of candidates, in the election management system from this week to next,” he said.
“This is only initial as opposed to the final list of candidates,” Bautista said.
Aside from the disqualification case against Sen. Grace Poe and the substitution issue against Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Bautista said they have received 29 other motions for reconsideration from those who have been declared nuisance candidates.
He said the Comelec en banc is prepared to hold marathon hearings, if necessary, to resolve the pending motions.
As to those that will not be resolved after Dec. 23, Bautista said they are leaning towards including the names of the petitioners, at least those who are bona fide candidates, in the ballot for as long as their disqualifications are not yet final and executory.