Antidynasty drive starts with SK polls

If you aspire to run for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) later this year, be sure you’re not closely related to any incumbent national or local official.

Candidates for the youth council who falsely declare they don’t have any relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity in the government will be disqualified, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) warned, as it published the guidelines for filing certificates of candidacy (CoC) for the barangay and SK polls on Oct. 31.

In a resolution passed on Aug. 16, the Comelec set the filing of CoCs from Oct. 3 to 5 during regular office hours at local Comelec offices.

The CoC form for SK candidates includes a certification the candidate is not closely related to an incumbent official at the national or local levels.

“I am not related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any incumbent elected national, regional, provincial, city, municipal or barangay official in the locality where I seek to be elected to,” the certification reads.

In an earlier interview, Comelec Chair Andres Bautista said an SK candidate who lies about having no relatives as incumbent officials would be disqualified. Julie M. Aurelio