Filing of certificates of candidacy begins Monday

FOR the next five days, those who will be running in the May 13, 2013 elections will no longer be a guessing game.

From October 1 to 5, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is open to accept the certificates of candidacy (COCs) of candidates for all national, local, and regional, as in the case of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) posts.

“We appeal to candidates to dispense with all the fanfares. Let us make the filing of COCs this coming October 1 to 5 as dignified as it should be,” Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said.

Earlier, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez also appealed to would-be COC filers to avoid their rivals during the filing in order to avoid face-offs of their supporters.

If not, he said the poll body is urging them to make sure they are capable of policing their own people.

“I would like to ask those filing their COCs to keep your supporters in check… Make sure that you keep a tight rein on them to avoid any scuffles of any sort,” said Jimenez.

Expected COCs are for the 12 senators; 229 district members of the House of Representatives; 80 governors; 80 vice-governors; 766 members of the Provincial Board; 138 city mayors; 138 city vice mayors; 1,532 members of the City Council; 1,496 municipal mayors; 1,496 municipal vice mayors; and 11,972 members of the Municipal Council.

Also to be filled up next year are the posts of regional governor, regional vice governor, and 24 regional assemblyman for the Armm.

COCs are to be filed at the Project Management Office at the Comelec Main Office in Intramuros, Manila for senators; Office of National Capital Region Director for Metro Manila congressmen; Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor for provincial officials, including congressmen; Office of the City/Municipal Election Officer for city/municipal officials; Office of the Armm Regional Election Director for Armm governor and vice governor; and Office of the Armm Provincial Election Supervisor for Armm legislative assembly members.

“The Certificate of Candidacy shall be filed by the candidate personally or by his duly authorized representative, whose authority shall be in writing, under oath and attached,” said Comelec Resolution 9518.

The COC filing period will be during office hours only for five days beginning 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

If at 4:45 p.m. of October 5, there are still persons intending to file COCs present inside the offices, the Comelec authorized their Receiving Officers to prepare a complete list containing the names of said persons, consecutively numbered, and the time of listing.

“The persons listed shall be called by announcing each name in the order in which they are listed. Any person who is not present when his name is called shall not be allowed to file his Certificate of Candidacy. A Certificate of Candidacy filed in accordance with this procedure shall be stamped received at the time it was actually filed, and deemed filed on time,” explained the commission en banc.

The Comelec had also reiterated that the filing of COCs would have contrasting effects to those presently holding appointive and elective positions.

The resolution states that any person holding an appointive office or position shall be considered “ipso facto” resigned from office and must vacate it at the start of the day of the filing of his/her COC.

On the other hand, any person holding an elective office or position shall not be considered resigned upon the filing of COC whether for the same or any other elective office or position.

According to Comelec Commissioner Christian Lim, the poll body is determined to implement the said provision to incumbent officials to avoid allowing them have undue advantages.

“We shall closely monitor those who are deemed resigned. They should stop going to their offices on the day they have filed their COCs... this is because some might refuse to vacate their offices and instead use it to further their candidacies,” said Lim. (HDT/Sunnex)