Comelec reschedules filing of COCs for SK, barangay polls

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Commission on Election (Comelec) has decided to move to a later date the filing of candidacy papers and the election period for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections this October.

In a statement, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said it was “in order to give the public more time to prepare for participation should the elections not be postponed.”

The Comelec approved the changes to the calendar of activities in its en banc session on Tuesday.

It may be recalled that the Comelec is still waiting for the signing of a law by President Rodrigo Duterte, which will definitely postpone the said elections to 2018.

In a resolution, the Comelec decided to move the election period for the barangay and youth polls to October 1 to October 30, from its original September 23 to October 30 date.

The filing of certificates of candidacy (COC), on the other hand, was pushed back to October 5 until October 11, from its original September 23 to 30 filing period.

Jimenez added that the campaign period has been also changed to begin on October 12 to 22, from its original October 13 to 21 date.

“The effectivity of various election prohibitions, particularly the gun ban, will likewise be moved,” the Comelec spokesperson said.

This means that the election gun ban will begin on October 1, the new start of the election period, and not on its original September 23 date.

However, the poll body will still begin accepting applications for exemption from the election gun ban on September 21 as previously scheduled. /jpv