READY FOR THE POLLS: Jomel Ordas (sitting middle in green polo shirt), the spokesperson of the Palawan Commission on Elections, answers questions of the local media during a PIA-hosted Kapihan on Thursday (April 19, 2018). (Photo by Celeste Anna R. Formoso)
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- The provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has run out of documentary stamps required in the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the May 14 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.
Jomel Ordas, the spokesperson of Comelec-Palawan, said during the Kapihan hosted by the Philippine Information Agency on Thursday, that even without the stamp, the COCs will still be accepted.
“We have a problem regarding the documentary stamps as we have run out of supply, but this has already been relayed to our main office. This is why it has issued an advisory ordering us to receive the COCs even without the required documentary stamp,” Ordas said.
The stamp is an excise tax levied on documents, instruments, loan agreements, and papers that evidences the acceptance, assignment, sale or transfer of an obligation, rights, or property.
Ordas said that as soon as their supply is replenished, those who submitted their COCs without a documentary stamp will have to purchase one.
“They will still be required to put documentary stamps on their certificates of candidacy when the new supply arrives,” he said.
The deadline for the filing of COCs is on Friday (April 20).
As of April 19, some 8,604 candidates have filed their certificates of candidacies in their respective city, municipal, and provincial Comelec offices in Palawan.
The top six municipalities with the highest number of COC filers are Puerto Princesa City, 2,003; Roxas, 577; Balabac, 518; Coron, 488; and Taytay, 477.
Those who will run for the position of barangay chairman have already reached 774, and the number may still increase on the last day of filing.
The number of candidates vying for positions in the barangay council have also reached 5,782, while for the Sangguniang Kabataan, the number of candidates for chairman has reached 493 and for councilors, about 1,555.
Ordas said they are ready for the synchronized barangay and SK elections and is expecting the number of candidates to reach 10,000 or more.
“We are very ready to handle the elections,” he said, adding that their preparations are already in place. (PNA)
