FILE COCs NOW. Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho (3rd from left) and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (4th from right), conduct an inspection at the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for national positions at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City on Tuesday (Oct. 5, 2021). Kho urged candidates to file their COCs ahead of the October 8 deadline. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald Alfiler)
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday urged aspirants for national positions not to wait for the last day of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) set on October 8.
Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho said he is hoping that those who are looking to be elected in national positions such as president, vice president, senators, and party-list representatives to file their COCs and certificates of nomination and acceptance (CONAs) on Wednesday and Thursday.
“I’d like to convince those who are planning to file their COC, you have tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday. Let us not pack the last day of filing on Friday. We all know that our practice or tradition or culture, we, Filipinos usually arrive at the last time, the last minute,” Kho said in a press briefing during the fifth day of the filing of COCs for national posts at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City.
Kho said filing ahead of the deadline has its own benefits.
“What if you come here and lacking your requirements or your COC is wrong or the supporting documents are wrong. You still have time to go back and fix it. But if you go on Friday, you won't be able to come back because the queue is too long. I ask you to file early, if you can file it tomorrow, please do,” he added.
Also on Tuesday, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar visited the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent for an inspection of the COC filing activities.
Some 581 police personnel have been deployed in the vicinity of the COC filing venue.
Eleazar, meanwhile, said he has directed all police personnel to avoid posting campaign materials on their vehicles, police stations, and camps.
Anticipating early campaigning by some political aspirants after the COCO filing period, Eleazar stressed that PNP personnel must remain apolitical.
“Kaya muli ay pinapaalalahanan natin ang aming kapulisan na wala dapat nakadikit na mga ganitong uri ng early campaign materials sa mga sasakyan ng pulis, mga police stations at maging sa mga kampo (So again we remind our PNP personnel that these types of early campaign materials should not be pasted on police vehicles, police stations and even in camps). As a professional organization, the apolitical stand of the PNP is an absolute necessity. We intend to keep it that way,” he noted. (with reports from Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
