Deadline for 2016 bets is October

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Candidates, get on your marks.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set the filing of certificates of candidacy for those running in the May 2016 elections from Oct. 12 to 16 this year.

The Comelec also set the deadline for new political parties and party-list groups to submit their applications for registration on May 8.

The date is also the deadline for the filing of party-list groups’ manifestation of intent to participate in the party-list system.

The Comelec has urged party-list groups intending to run in 2016 to close their ranks to individuals out to use them to snag a seat in the House of Representatives.

In an interview, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said party-list groups must ensure their nominees are capable of representing them in Congress.

“They should not allow themselves to be used as a backdoor. They should not allow themselves to be used by any politician… they should be able to police their own ranks,” Jimenez said.

He made the statement after the Comelec announced it would no longer conduct an “automatic review” of party-list organizations following the Supreme Court ruling on the Atong Paglaum party-list case in 2013.