BACOLOD CITY, (PNA) — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Region 6 reported that 18,863 aspirants in the October 28 barangay elections filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) during the first day of submission Friday.
The filing of COCs is until Oct. 17.
Dennis Ausan, COMELEC regional director in Western Visayas, said over the weekend that of the number, 2,148 are running for barangay chairman while 16,715, are for kagawad (councilman).
It was a high turnout for the first day, he said.
Ausan appealed to the candidates who would still be filing their COCs to strictly follow the COMELEC rules and regulations.
Candidates can use photocopied forms for their COCs but the entries like their signatures, data on personal records, and documentary stamps must be original and notarized, he added.
Ausan said that as long as the data are complete, the COMELEC has no authority to reject the COCs since they only have ministerial duties in the processing of these documents.
He added that complaints pertaining to certain candidates would be referred to, and acted upon by the COMELEC en banc in Manila.