Filing of candidacies for village polls starts



By E. T. SUAREZ

The filing of certificates of candidacy for the Oct. 29 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) synchronized polls before the election officers (EOs) in 118 cities and 1,510 municipalities all over the country starts today.


The Comelec, led by Chairman Benjamin S. Abalos Sr., said the original filing date of Oct. 11-18 as contained in Comelec en banc Resolution 8264 has been moved to Sept. 14-19 under en banc Resolution No. 9297 in conformity with targeted completion of certain pre-election activities such as the printing of official ballots and other election forms.

He said the certificate of candidacy should be filed personally or by his duly authorized representative in triplicate with the office of the election officer of the city or municipal election officer concerned. No certificate of candidacy shall be filed or accepted by mail, telegram, or facsimile.

But in cities or municipalities where there are two or more election officers, the certificate of candidacy shall be filed with the office of the election officer having jurisdiction over the barangay where the filer is a candidate.

The format of the certificate of candidacy may be obtained from the office of the election officer, free of charge. For purposes of the barangay and SK polls, the election officer has been authorized to administer oaths, free of charge, on all matters related to the conduct of the elections, including the administration of oath to certificate of candidacy.

Meanwhile, Comelec preparations for the twin village polls continue even as the House of Representatives Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms headed by Makati City Rep. Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. approved a consolidated bill resetting the polls to the second Monday of May, 2009.

In the Senate, Senate President Manuel B. Villar Jr. said he will seek the consensus of his peers on the planned resetting of the fast-approaching elections.

The House bill, composed of 13 separate measures filed by several solons, said it is best to postpone the polls because it is coming too close to the May 14 local and national elections and there is a need to apply the election modernization law on the conduct of barangay and SK polls.