Comelec all set for Cavite special polls

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is ready for the special elections in the seventh district of Cavite.

Comelec executive director Teofisto Elnas Jr. said the special elections, which will be held on Feb. 25, would be automated.

The elections will fill the congressional seat left vacant with the appointment of Jesus Crispin Remulla as secretary of the Department of Justice.

Elnas said the SD cards containing the results in the precinct level would be submitted to the municipal board of canvassers, which will canvass the results from the municipal level and proclaim the winners.

“The Comelec has created a project management office that will focus on this special election under the leadership of Commissioner (Marlon) Casquejo as the commissioner-in-charge,” Elnas told a press conference on Tuesday.

Remulla’s son Crispin Diego of the National Unity Party and independent candidates Jose Angelito Domingo Aguinaldo, Melencio Loyola De Sagun Jr. and Michael Angelo Bautista Santos filed their certificates of candidacy for representative of the seventh district of Cavite.

Comelec records showed that 355,184 registered voters from 116 barangays in the towns of Amadeo, Indang, Tanza as well as Trece Martires City are expected to participate in the special elections.

There will be 76 voting centers and 426 clustered precincts.

The election period, which started on Jan. 26, is until March 12.

Comelec spokesman Rex Laudiangco said certain groups would be invited to witness the printing of the 355,184 ballots, which would also be live-streamed on the official social media pages of the poll body.