Comelec en banc to discuss possible suspension of COC filing for barangay, SK polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc will discuss the possible suspension of the filing of the certificates of candidacy (COC) for the December 2022 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), pending the decision of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on whether or not it will be postponed.

On Monday, Comelec chairperson George Garcia said that if Marcos will sign the postponement of the 2022 BSKE, the en banc also has to push for the deferral of the COC filing set on October 22 to 29. There will be no COC filing on October 23.

However, since it takes about 15 days before a bill becomes a law and gets published in a newspaper of general circulation, he pointed out that the en banc has to decide earlier in order to avoid problems or confusion among those seeking to run.

“Kung sakali, kung talagang mapipirmahan ng ating Pangulo sa kasulukuyan, syempre kailangan mag-usap ang en banc upang hindi na namin itutuloy ‘yung filing ng candidacy. Halimbawa, by 22 to 29 ng October kasi magkaka-problema pa do’n kung hihintayin namin magkaron ng batas,” Garcia said at a press conference.

(If our President will really sign it now, of course the en banc has to discuss the suspension of the filing of the candidacy by October 23 to 29 of October because there will be problems if we wait for it to become a law.)

He explained that the Comelec has to prepare in advance for “practicality sake.”

“‘Pag pinayagan nating mag-file ng candidacy, alam nating may batas, tapos nakapag-file ng candidacy, sabihin mo nang effective ‘yung batas ng October 26, eh di may tatlong araw ka nang nag-file ng candidacy. Parang impractical na nagfi-file ka, alam mo nang magiging batas ng 26,” Garcia said.

(It seems impractical if we allow them to file their COCs and we know that there will be a law. For example, the law will be effective on October 26, they will still have three days to file.)

“‘Pag nagkaalaman sa barangay kung sino ang mga kandidato, magaaway na ‘yun. Hindi na maguusap [nang] isang taon,” he added.

(When the barangay finds out who the candidates will be, they may fight and not talk for a year.)

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin earlier said that Marcos will most likely sign into law the bills for the postponement of the 2022 BSKE.

On September 27, the Senate passed on third and final reading Senate Bill 1306 postponing the 2022 BSKE to the second Monday of December 2023.

The House of Representatives, meanwhile, approved its version on third and final reading on September 20. — RSJ, GMA News