Comelec eyeing early COC filing for 2028 polls

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FROM the usual October schedule, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking at the possibility of pushing back the period to file certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the May 2028 national and local polls to July 2027.

In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said they are evaluating if it is necessary to set the COC filing period for the next electoral exercise at an earlier date to avoid complications like the recent case involving the temporary restraining orders (TROs) issued by the Supreme Court (SC) against its resolutions disqualifying and declaring several aspirants as nuisance candidates.

“Fixing the period to file COCs is within the mandate of the Comelec. We are now thinking if it would be better if we set an earlier period for the 2028 elections. Instead of October, we are thinking if we should set the COC filing on July,” Garcia said.

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In doing so, the poll chief said there will be more time to resolve pending petitions both at the Comelec and before the High Tribunal.

“If COC filing will be done by July, by September we can already have the decisions up to the Commission en banc level. At least, those who want to go to the SC will still have until December,” said Garcia.

In previous elections, the Comelec has set the COC filing period for the national and local aspirants in October of the year preceding the elections.

For the May 2025 polls, the period of COC filing for all elective positions was held from October 1 to 8, 2024.

However, Garcia said advancing the COC filing period will also have effects to other aspects of the elections, such as in the registration of voters.

“If we do the COC filing by July, we must finish the registration of voters before July. There are many issues that also have to be considered,” he said.

The Comelec issued the statement on the heels of the multiple TROs issued by the SC against the poll body in relation to several national and local aspirants in the May 2025 polls.

The TROs led to the suspension of the printing of the official ballots to be used in the May national, local and Bangsamoro polls and delayed other election-related preparations of the Comelec.

Yesterday, the SC issued another TRO, this time enjoining the poll body from implementing its resolution cancelling the COC for mayor of dismissed Mandaue city mayor Jonas Cortes in the May polls.

In a briefer late Monday afternoon, the High Court also “prevented the Comelec from deleting his name from the list of candidates for the said position.”

In the same order, the High Court also ordered the Comelec and complainant Ervin Estandarte to comment on Cortes’ petition challenging the poll body’s resolution within a non-extendible period of 15 days from receipt of notice.

Cortes earlier told the High Court that the Comelec allegedly exceeded its authority and created a new qualification for running for public office by barring him from running in this year’s elections.

Cortes, who is seeking a fresh seat for his third and last term as mayor of Mandaue City, has been dismissed by the Ombudsman for allowing an unpermitted cement batching plant to operate. The dismissal included his perpetual disqualification from holding any public position.

‘AT ALL COSTS’

Garcia said they will resume “at all costs” the printing of the 73 million official ballots as the poll body can no longer afford any delays in the activity.

“At all costs, we have to print the ballots, whether it’s in the morning or afternoon, we have to proceed with ballot printing by Wednesday,” he said.

“That is our commitment to the people. We have to begin printing already, or else face more delays and exhaust our timeline,” he added.

Given the delays they have already encountered, Garcia said the Comelec is now reviewing its timelines for ballot printing.

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“We want to have an estimate on how many ballots must be printed per day and if we are capable of meeting our timelines,” he said.

“From Wednesday until April 14, we have lost two weeks already. We need to adjust onwards before the end of April the completion of the ballot printing,” he said.

Garcia said they have deputized the National Printing Office (NPO) for the first time to help ensure the faster and more efficient ballot printing.

“For the first time, we are deputizing the NPO in order to expedite everything. All the employees of the NPO will be treated like employees of the Comelec. Therefore, they will have to follow whatever it is the Comelec tells them to do,” he said.

Yesterday, the Comelec conducted another trusted build to incorporate the changes necessary in the Election Management System (EMS) for the May 2025 polls.

Aside from EMS, also subjected to the trusted build are the Automated Counting Machines, Consolidation and Canvassing System, and the Online Voting and Counting System.

The trusted build of the entire Automated Election System is necessary before the Comelec can generate new ballot face templates.

PARTISAN POLITICS

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil yesterday vowed to dismiss from service policemen who will be found involved in partisan political activities in the coming elections.

“We will dismiss people, policemen who will become bias in the coming elections,” Marbil told reporters during an ambush interview at the PNP national headquarters at Camp Crame.

Marbil reiterated his appeal to policemen not to allow themselves to be used by candidates.

“Let us be apolitical. Let’s give dignity to our uniform,” he said, adding the PNP will conduct intelligence operations to identify cops who would get involved in partisan political activities.

“Our intelligence (personnel) are going to know if you are involved or not,” he warned. 

He likewise reminded policemen against moonlighting as bodyguards of politicians.

“That is not allowed. Even commanders will be out (dismissed). You will be out if you are found moonlighting,” he said.

Meanwhile, Marbil said the PNP, in coordination with the Comelec, will intensify its operations against the spread of “fake” news.

“Fake news will be a problem. Fake news will dictate who will win,” he said, adding that they expect false information to be spread against certain candidates through Facebook and other social media applications.

“We should have boundaries here. We need to come up with a better solution which we will be proposing to the Comelec,” he said. – With Ashzel Hachero and Victor Reyes

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