HUNDREDS of aspiring candidates in Bacolod City flocked to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office yesterday, which is the fifth day of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC), for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on May 14.
City Election Registrar Mavil Majarucon-Sia said before 8 a.m., several candidates already lined up to submit their COCs.
“We are trying to accommodate all of them because it's our job to receive their documents. We will follow the procedure that after 5 p.m., as long as there are candidates to submit their COCs, we will accommodate them,” she said.
Comelec records showed from April 14 to 17, a total 577 candidates filed their COCs.
Of the number, 46 are running for barangay captain, 414 for barangay kagawad, 22 for SK chairperson and 95 for SK kagawad.
“Maybe because of the belief of Feng Shui, they flocked to submit their COC April 18, 2018, at 8 a.m. with three 8 for a sign of good luck,” Majarucon-Sia said.
She said on Tuesday morning, one of the candidates, a government employee, filed her COC and returned at the afternoon to withdraw her COC.
The candidate was required to submit an affidavit of withdrawal because its name was already encoded in the system.
“Once you filed your COC, you are considered resigned to your job. Maybe she's not aware of this. She could file the affidavit of withdrawal, but we cannot correct the record because the name was already encoded in our system,” Majarucon-Sia said.
Majarucon-Sia reminded the candidates to double check their documents to avoid delaying of time and technicalities.
More candidates are expected to file their COCs on Friday, the last day of filing of COC.