POLITICIANS linked to drugs can still file a certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2019 National and Local Elections, said a Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Davao official.

“Even if listed siya sa narco-list, dili mi pwede nga di mudawat sa ilang Certificate Of Candidacy (Even if they are listed in the narco-list, our office will still accept their certificate of candidacy),” Lawyer Krisna Samantha Caballero, spokesperson of Comelec-Davao, said Wednesday during the AFP-PNP press conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

According to the law, the qualifications for being a candidate are able to read and write, of legal of age, and a resident of the Philippines.

She said drug test results are not a requirement for a candidate.

The filing of candidacy begins Thursday, October 11 until 12 and October 15 to 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It was reported earlier that the authorities have listed 86 alleged narco-politicians.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Interior and Local Government, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines are set to validate the list.

“Maybe early next week, magsimula na kaming mag adjudicate ng mga listahan ng mga narco-politicians, and then mayroon na kaming ma de-list o mailagay sa suspense file, (Maybe early next week we can start to adjudicate the lists of narco-politicians, and then we might de-list some or put in a suspense file),” General Aaron Aquino, PDEA director, said on Tuesdaay.