Comelec studying calls to suspend BKSE COC filing
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections is looking into calls to move the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the October barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BKSE) at a later date while keeping in mind the necessary preparations for the polls.
Individuals who wish to run for a position in the upcoming BKSE have July 3 to 7 to file their COCs, but campaigning will start three months later from October 19 to 28, on the month of BSKE.
“The Comelec is trying to weigh the importance of preparing early for the October 30, 2022 BKSE amid calls of moving the filing of COCs to a date closer to the actual elections, as well as taking into account when the Election Period should start as this entails banning several activities under election law,” Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said in Filipino on Tuesday.
Sen. Francis Tolentino was among the lawmakers who have reached out to the poll body to set the filing of candidacies for this year’s local elections at a later date this year.
He said local government units will be “burdened” if the COC filing was done in July, noting that setting an early period for the filing of COCs will lead to a ban in construction activities and LGUs will have to deploy additional resources to implement election-related restrictions for a longer period of time.
With the current calendar of activities set for the BKSE, the election period is slated from July 3 to November 14.
Tolentino is asking the poll body to suspend the filing of COCs until August. — Kaycee Valmonte with reports from Xave Gregorio and The STAR/Evelyn Macairan
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