Filing of COCs for Zambo City village polls starts today

MANILA, Philippines - Residents wishing to run in the barangay elections in war-torn Zamboanga City may file their certificates of candidacy (COCs) starting today until Nov. 13.

This is contained in Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 9805.

Zamboanga City, according to the Comelec, has 98 barangays with 412,661 registered voters in 117 voting centers.

Barangay polls in Bohol will be held on Nov. 25.

In Cotabato, police will serve as Board of Election Tellers (BETs) in special elections in 12 barangays in Pikit town tomorrow. This is contained in Comelec Minute Resolution 13-1198.

There are a total of 14,389 registered voters in the 12 Pikit barangays of Bagoainged, Balabak, Balong, Balungis, Barungis, Bualan, Buliok, Bulol, Gokotan, Macabual, Rajah Muda, and Talitay.

Last Oct. 28, Pikit election officer Joel Celis suspended the elections in the 12 barangays after he found out that voting was being conducted at the Pikit Central Elementary School and Pikit National High School in the town proper.

The teachers in Pikit reportedly feared for their security in their assigned voting centers. The Comelec’s 49 clustered precincts are in 13 voting centers.

The 12 Pikit barangays are among 97 villages nationwide where elections were postponed due to the teachers’ refusal to serve, election-related violence, and delayed delivery of poll paraphernalia.