The Commission on Elections has expressed readiness to accept certificate of candidacies filed by individuals eyeing elective positions for the upcoming midterm elections.
“The office will be open at exactly 8:00 in the morning our election officers and staff will be there to accepting certificates of candidacies until 5: 00 in the afternoon,” said lawyer Krisna Caballero, spokesperson of the COMELEC during the weekly AFP-PNP Southern Mindanao press conference at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday.
She said that the filing will start today, October 11, 2018 until October 17, 2018.
The receiving of COCs will be done atDoor #1, PTA Building, Magsaysay Park Compound, Ramon Magsaysay, Davao City.
“The receiving will be at District two, even if the candidate is from District one or three, they should submit it at District two. I would also like to request our candidates that after filing the certificate, they should give way to other candidates since the area is small,”Caballero said.
“The COMELEC will be open on the weekends but we will not receive any COC on Saturday and Sunday. It will resume on October 15 which is Monday and will end on October 17, Wednesday,” she added.
She said that they cannot deny submission of COCs by persons listed in the Narco-politicians roster.
“Even if the person is listed in the Narco-list, the COMELEC cannot decline their submission of COC, until and unless there is a disqualification filed against the particular individual,” she said.
She said that the only qualification or filing of COC is: the person is of legal age, resident of the country and able to read and write.
“We cannot add additional qualification or requirements for our candidates,” she said.
She said that the drug test is not required, but if the candidate wishes to submit a drug test result then we also accept but this is not mandatory.
