DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 4 Sept)—The Commission on Elections (COMELEC)-Davao recorded a total of 47,637 aspirants from the 1,162 barangays of Davao Region who filed certificates of candidacies (COCs) last week for various positions in the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).
The data released by COMELEC-Davao on Monday showed that of this figure, there are 2,932 official candidates for punong barangay, 25,587 for seats in the Sangguniang Barangay, 3,050 for the position of Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson, and 16,068 for SK members.
Lawyer Gay Enumerables, COMELEC-Davao assistant regional director, told Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday that several aspirants flocked to the offices of COMELEC-Davao during the COC filing from August 28 to September 2.
She reminded official candidates to refrain from premature campaigning as it will be ground for disqualification from the election.
Enumerables said that candidates who are guilty of premature campaigning may be imprisoned from one year to six years and suffer a perpetual disqualification to hold public office.
She said campaign period starts on October 19 until 29.
The COMELEC-Davao recorded a total of 9,519 official candidates in Davao de Oro, 10,030 in Davao del Norte, 8,030 in Davao City, 9,239 in Davao del Sur, 3,568 in Davao Occidental, and 7,251 in Davao Oriental.
Enumerables said the COMELEC has not yet received any complaints against or petitions to declare any of the official candidates as “nuisance.”
She said that candidates who are relatives within second degree of any incumbent elective government officials would be disqualified from running in the SK election, but this prohibition does not apply to candidates in the barangay election.
Enumerables reminded the aspirants that BSK elections are “non-political” and, as such, candidates cannot be part of political parties during the campaign. Violation of this prohibition, she added, will constitute an election offense.
She said there are no areas in the region that are placed under areas of concern due to election-related violence. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
