Comelec expected to allow uploading of COCs on website, spokesman says

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc is expected to approve a resolution which will allow the uploading of the certificates of candidacies (COCs) on the agency's website, according to its spokesman on Friday.

In a public briefing, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said that, "Minungkahi na po ni Comelec Chairman (George) Garcia at asahan po natin na baka lumabas na ang resolusyon na talaga pong isasapubliko iu-upload namin sa aming website ang lahat po ng COC nang sa gayon mapatuloy natin 'yung makatotohanang pagtakbo, tapat na pangangampanya, at higit sa lahat, accessible ang information sa bawat botanteng Pilipino," Laudiangco said.

(That was already suggested by Comelec Chairman Garcia. We expect that there will be a resolution which will allow the COCs to be made available to the public so that we can continue to have truthful candidacies and campaigns, and, above all, to make our information accessible to all Filipino voters.)

The suggestion to upload the COCs on the Comelec website was raised by former Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, who noted that this would allow voters to research about candidates.

Laudiangco said that uploading COCs, which are public documents, and making these available on the website would also allow the public to file election cases against candidates.

A copy of COC is needed in filing disqualification cases, cancellation of COCs, and petitions to declare an individual as a nuisance candidate, he said.

Meanwhile, Garcia recommended Friday to the en banc that received certificates of candidacy be posted on the Comelec website within two weeks from the last day of filing of COCs.

"This measure aims to strengthen the transparency of the elections by providing a readily accessible manner for election stakeholders and the general voting public to scrutinize COCs. Furthermore, this measure also aims to ensure that candidates will be held accountable with respect to the pieces of information provided and sworn statements in said certificates," Garcia said in his memorandum to the en banc dated June 14.

In line with this, Garcia also recommended the Comelec Law Department and Information Technology Department to draft the guidelines for this measure for the approval of the Commission en banc.

Concerns on truthful candidacies were raised amid the issue of suspended Bamban, Mayor Alice Guo, whose citizenship was questioned due to supposed doubtful documents proving that she is a Filipino. — VDV, GMA Integrated News