Filing of COC for barangay, SK elections moved to Oct. 5

By Connie Destura LEGAZPI CITY---- The filing of Certificate of Candidacy in connection with the October 23 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections has been moved from Sept. 23 to October 5, according to Comelec top official the other day. Atty. Romy Serrano, Comelec OIC regional director, in an interview Tuesday said an en banc resolution changing the calendar of activities for the October 23 elections has been approved by the Comelec Central office. We are ready for the aspirant candidates, but it will be on October 5 not September 23 as announced earlier. We need to clarify this so that they will not go to the Comelec district offices on Saturday, Serrano added. Asked what may be the reason, Serrano said “maybe the Comelec gave the Senate a chance to enact the law that will postpone the scheduled local election.” Serrano also clarified that the election period will start on October 1 and will last until October 30. This will include the gun ban which prohibits carrying or transporting of firearms or other deadly weapons and the employment, availment or engagement of the services of security personnel or body guards during the said period. Prospective candidates who want to run for the office can ask about the requirements and forms at their respective Comelec offices from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, he said. Serrano said if the senate approved the bill postponing the local elections, all of their preparations will not be wasted since the COC filed by the candidates can still be used for the next election. With this, Serrano urged the public to visit the Comelec’s official website for more information on the gun ban and other election rules.