Those planning to run in the September 22 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls in Marawi City may start filing their certificates of candidacy (COC) beginning Thursday, August 23.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) set the period for the filing of COC from August 23 to 30.
In a press briefing, Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said candidates were given eight days to file their COC for practical considerations.
“Let’s be practical. Traveling is difficult there because of the conditions…so, we want it to be easy for them as possible,” he said.
“It’s not their fault if they are having difficulty going to the place where they are supposed to file,” added Jimenez.
The poll official, however, said that they are tempering their expectations when it comes to the number of filers especially since Marawi is still in the process of recovering from the destruction caused by the war last year.
“We are tempering our expectations. Definitely, there will be filers. But as to how many of them will run, that will be hard to tell,” Jimenez said.
“It is a recovering conflict area so it is really hard to gauge the degree of readiness of the people to run for office,” he added.
Qualifications for Punong Barangay and Members of the Sangguniang Barangay are a citizen of the Philippines; a registered voter in the Barangay where he intends to be elected; a resident therein for at least one year immediately preceding the day of the election; able to read and write Filipino or any other local language or dialect; and at least 18 years of age on Election Day.
While for the Sangguniang Kabataan chairman and council members, the qualifications are a citizen of the Philippines; a qualified voter of the Katipunan ng Kabataan (KK); a resident of the Barangay for not less than one year immediately preceding the day of the elections; at least 18 years but not more than 24 years of age on the day of the elections; able to read and write Filipino, English of the local dialect; must not be related within the 2nd civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any incumbent elected national official or to any incumbent elected regional, provincial, city, municipal or Barangay official in the locality where aspirant seeks to be elected; and must not have been convicted by final judgment of any crime involving moral turpitude.
The COCs shall be filed at the Office of the Election Officer of Marawi City.
The Commission En Banc on January 31, 2018 resolved to defer the barangay and SK polls in Marawi City, owing to prevailing conditions in the city, after the conduct of three public consultations in Mindanao whether or not to postpone said polls in the entirety of the region. (Leslie Ann Aquino)
Source: Manila Bulletin. Photo credit: Manila Bulletin file
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