Comelec expects 200 to 300 bets filing their COCs for 2022 polls

James Jimenez INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking at around 200 to 300 candidates who will be filing their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the 2022 elections.

“For this elections, we’re looking at a lot of candidates especially since nakita natin last elections that a lot of people really filed for COC, especially for the position of senator,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez told ANC on Thursday when asked how many candidates usually file a COC.

“We’re looking upwards of around 200 to 300 [candidates] might come. We’re also going to hold the filing doon sa mismong partylist. So talagang marami,” he added.

(We’re also going to hold the filing of a partylist in the venue. So, there will be many individuals.)

The Comelec on Wednesday said the filing of COC for national candidates was moved to one of the tents of the Sofitel hotel instead of its main office to accommodate more candidates.

“The reason we’re able to do that is that we have a big venue. We have a massive venue now,” Jimenez said.

Meanwhile, Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas said a booth for antigen testing will also be installed at the site for the COVID-19 testing of candidates who will fail to present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result.

Abas added that the number of candidates who will file their COCs will also be limited at the site.

“Sa bawat partylist, dalawa lang ang pupwede pumasok. Sa presidente, vice president, down to senators, isang kandidato plus mayroon siyang tatlong kasamahan,” he said.

(For each partylist, only two are allowed to enter. For the president, vice president, down to senators, one candidate plus three assistants.)

“Ipapalinya natin sila. One at a time. ‘Di sila pwede magsabay-sabay. That’s why ita-traffic namin ‘yung papasok,” Abas noted.

(We will ask them to fall in line. One at a time. They are not allowed to go inside altogether. That’s why we are going to traffic those going to enter.)

The filing of COCs is set to start on October 1 and ends on October 8.

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/MUF