MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday cited several reasons for revising the calendar of activities for the Dec. 5 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
This came as the poll body decided to revise the period of filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) from Oct. 6 to 13 to Oct. 22 to 29, 2022.
“The House version of the Bill does not include a provision on what will happen to COCs filed from Oct. 6-13, 2022 in case the bill to postpone the BSKE becomes a law. There is no certainty as well if the Senate version will have a similar provision on COCs filed on the said period, as above,” Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco added in a statement.
The Comelec also decided to move the gun ban period which is now from Nov. 6 until Dec. 20, 2022, from the original date which is Oct. 6 up to Dec. 12.
“Any violation of the gun ban and other Prohibited Acts (Election Offenses) starting Oct. 6, 2022, that will be subjected to preliminary investigation, inquest or perhaps, filing of appropriate information in regional trial courts will be significantly affected and complicated in case the BSKE postponement bill becomes a law,” Laudiangco said.
Despite the approval of the House version of the bill, the Comelec continues to prepare for the Dec. 5 polls.
Comelec chair George Garcia said preparations for the polls will continue in the absence of a law postponing it. (PNA)
