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Monday, October 29, 2007
Cebu aspirants get Comelec’s mercy
By Rene H. Martel
CEBU CITY – Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) candidates who filled up the wrong certificate of candidacy (COC) got saved by a last-minute instruction from Commission on Elections (Comelec) Acting Chairman Resurreccion Borra.
Day-as Barangay Captain Michael Ocleasa again has the chance to get reelected, after Borra granted his request for a COC correction in a memorandum dated Oct. 28.
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Saved too was Zapatera barangay councilor candidate Glen Agudo, who signed a COC for barangay captain, and all the SK aspirants who submitted COCs for barangay councilors.
Comelec Cebu City north district Election Officer Marchel Sarno confirmed receiving at 3 p.m. yesterday an executive order “granting election officers the discretion to correct the COCs of candidates similarly situated.”
He said that Borra upheld a legal opinion on granting leniency in interpreting the COCs.
Except for the title, COCs for barangay captains, barangay councilors and the SK look the same and require the same information.
Ocleasa filled up and passed a COC for barangay councilor, an error that was only discovered five days before the end of the campaign period last Saturday.
He sent to Manila a letter asking for reconsideration, but also immediately started campaigning for barangay councilor, and even had his group adopt independent candidate Jovie Francisco as their candidate for barangay captain.
In an interview, Ocleasa said he was very happy with Borra’s decision. He immediately met with his supporters and leaders, whom he tasked to inform Day-as residents that he is again a contender for barangay captain.
“Ang memorandum igo lang nagpahibalo nga gi-reconsider ang sayop sa akong COC. Maong magpahibalo na pud mi sa mga tawo nga kapitan na sad akong daganan (The memo informed us that the error in my COC has been reconsidered, so we had to inform everyone that I am again a candidate for barangay captain),” he told Sun.Star in a telephone interview.
Did informing residents about the change constitute campaigning, which was banned starting yesterday?
Sought for comment, Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said that will depend on the manner Ocleasa used to inform Day-as residents.
If Ocleasa simply told them that the Comelec reconsidered so that he is again a candidate for Day-as barangay captain—without actually asking them to vote for him—then there is nothing wrong.
Edwin Ruaza, who serves as Day-as’ media liaison, said it would not be hard for Ocleasa to brief the residents since there are only around 3,800 voters in Day-as.
Commissioner Borra also ruled in favor of the over 20 SK candidates from Lusaran, Malubog, Mabolo and other Cebu City barangays who goofed and submitted the wrong COC, Sarno said.
The memos on Ocleasa and Agudo’s cases arrived yesterday.
Sarno said he already sent a memorandum to all concerned teachers composing the Board of Election Tellers (BET) and Board of Canvassers (BOC).
“Kindly delete the name of the candidate from the List of Candidates for Barangay Kagawad and instead include his name in the List of Candidates for Punong Barangay,” he told the Day-as BET and BOC members.
He also sent copies of his memorandum to the Cebu Treasurer’s Office for attachment to the ballot boxes that will be distributed to the polling precincts today.
The copies also contained his contact numbers just in case the BETs and the BOCs have inquiries from him. (Sun.Star Cebu)>
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (October 29, 2007 issue)
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Comelec reports no major poll disruption