FROM September 1 to September 28, all politicial parties are being reminded by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to hold their respective political conventions for the May 2025 national and local polls.
In its Resolution No. 11045, the Comelec said the four-week period has been designated as the time frame within which political parties are expected to nominate their official candidates in the forthcoming polls.
"Political parties (PP) may hold political conventions to nominate their official candidates for all elective positions for the May 12, 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) and Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE), from September 1, 2024 (Sunday) to September 28, 2024 (Saturday)," said the Comelec.
But aside from holding political conventions, the poll body also reminded political parties to timely submit their sworn list of authorized signatories and specimen signatures of political parties.
The poll body said the list must contain the names of the authorized signatories of the PP, including their three specimen signatures, positions in the parties, and their respective jurisdiction or places of authority to nominate and sign the Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (Cona) of their official candidates.
"The chairperson or president, or in their absence, the secretary-general of the PP or coalition of political parties (coalition) shall personally submit to the Law Department a sworn list of authorized signatories on or before September 30, 2024 (Monday)," said the Commission.
The poll body said the sworn list of authorized signatories submitted by persons other than the chairperson, president or secretary-general shall be deemed as not filed.
Failure to submit the sworn list of authorized signatories with specimen signatures by the registered parties or coalition within the stipulated period, the Comelec said, shall result in the declaration of their nominees as independent candidates.
Similarly, the Comelec said the submission of the sworn list of authorized signatories with specimen signatures to other offices of the commission other than the Law Department shall also result in the declaration of their nominees as independent candidates. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)