Comelec asks PNP to assign personnel to secure all offices during COC filing

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Cebu Province asked the police to assign personnel to secure the Comelec offices during the filing of candidacy on Oct. 1 to 5.

Comelec Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said they have yet to identify priority areas so all Comelec offices should be guarded.

Castillano met with officials of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CCPO) and the AFP last Wednesday to discuss the 2013 elections.

The Comelec officer said candidates are expected to bring supporters when they file their certificates of candidacy (COCs) so it is better to be prepared.

Closing time

Castillano said the filing of COC will end promptly at 5 p.m. on Oct. 5. He urged candidates to file their COCs early as there will be no extension.

He said Comelec wants to avoid a repeat of the previous filing—the one for the May 2010 elections—where some candidates waited until almost midnight of the last day to file their COCs.

“Ayaw na pud na buhata ing-ana. You have five days. Anyway, taas-taas nana nga panahon seguro nga makahunahuna sila og molansar ba sila o dili (Don’t repeat it. You have enough time to think whether to run or not),” Castillano said.

He said Comelec wants to close the filing by 5 p.m. as it intends to resume the voters’ registration the next day.

Castillano said that aside from preparations for the filing of the COCs, the Comelec is also preparing for the last day of voters’ registration on Oct. 31 and the elections in 2013.