BACOLOD CITY -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has called out five winning Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) candidates in this city found to be overage when they ran as kagawad during the May 14 elections.
The Comelec office in Bacolod confirmed as of Tuesday the issuance of the orders to answer the petitions filed by the Comelec Law Department against Mark Joseph Mijares of Barangay Cabug, Noli Sanchez of Barangay Felisa, Hermilo Lizades of Barangay Pahanocoy, Joebel Peñas Jr. of Barangay Mandalagan, and Kim Maiko Lim of Barangay 37.
City Election Registrar Mavil Majarucon-Sia said she initially sent a list of 14 candidates deemed as overage, but two withdrew their certificates of candidacy (COCs), and out of 12, five were elected.
“They are required by the Commission’s First Division or Second Division to file an answer to the case filed against them by Comelec Law Department,” she said.
The order directs each concerned winning candidate to respond to the “motu proprio petition to deny due course to and/or cancel COC.”
The respondent or his or her authorized representatives have been directed to “personally file with the Office of the Clerk of the Commission a verified answer cum memorandum with the original and/or certificate true copy of evidence within a non-extendible period of three days from receipt hereof.”
“The five should file an answer to the order as part of due process…otherwise, if an order will be issued cancelling their COCs, they cannot assume office. Those who lost should also answer since not doing so will have legal implications,” Majarucon-Sia said. “They cannot take this for granted.”
She said the petition was filed by Comelec Law Department on May 13 yet, but her office received the facts only on June 8.
Four, except for Lizades, have already received a copy of the order as of June 12.
The law states that candidates for SK posts would be limited to those limited to those aged 18 to 24.
Majarucon-Sia said the five respondents filed their COCs, believing that they are still qualified to run since they have not turned 25 yet during elections day.
“They did not just overlook the age requirement, they insisted that they were qualified to run. It’s a matter of the interpretation of the law,” she added.
Majarucon-Sia said the five can still assume office until the Comelec issues a resolution on their respective cases. (PNA)
