COC filing for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan reset
Credit to Author: Robertzon Ramirez| Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has moved the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BKSE) from July to late August to September amid calls from lawmakers to delay it.
“We reset the filing of COCs for BSKE from July 3-7 to Aug. 28 to Sept. 2,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia told reporters in a Viber message yesterday.
Under Comelec Resolution 10899, the period for filing of the COC for the BSKE will be from July 3 to 7 so that the poll body will have ample time to accept and resolve disqualification and nuisance cases.
But Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting expressed his opposition to the early filing of COC, which was recently seconded by Sen. Francis Tolentino to provide more time for aspiring barangay and SK officials.
Garcia said the decision to move the filing of COC to a later date was also because they wanted all sectors, including the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and other government agencies, to be prepared for the polls.
He said their calendar of activities would not be affected by the decision to move the filing of COC as he stressed that they are using manual ballots for the barangay and SK polls, which means that the names of candidates will not be printed.
He said they have already completed the printing of 91 million ballots, including the printing next month of the 1.6 million for the “additional voters” who have registered from Dec. 12, 2022 and Jan. 31, 2023.
Aside from lessening early politicking, the swift Comelec decision to delay the filing of COCs for the BSKE would help local government units perform well and prevent election-related violence, Tolentino said. – Cecille Suerte Felipe