Bets running for 2013 polls may file COCs starting Oct. 1

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced yesterday that all candidates running in the 2013 midterm polls will be allowed to file their certificates of candidacy (COCs) starting on Oct. 1 until Oct. 5.

The Comelec issued Resolution No. 9385 that gave candidates only five days to file their COCs to give the poll body enough time to screen the bets and to print their names on the ballots.

The resolution contains the calendar of activities in connection to the May 13, 2013 polls.

Comelec officials said overseas voters have until Oct. 15 to file their application “for transfer of registration records from the overseas registry to the local registry.”

The poll body had set Oct. 31 as the last day for local voters to file their “applications for registration transfer of registration records, reactivation, correction of entries etc.”

The Comelec added that overseas Filipinos could also apply for registration/certification as overseas voters, transfer of registration records from one post to another until Oct. 31.

The election period had been set from Jan. 13 to June 12 next year, during which several prohibitions will take effect.

These prohibitions include the transfer or movement, promotion or recall of government employees and foreign service personnel, use of security personnel or bodyguards by candidates and bearing, carrying or transporting of firearms.

The resolution showed that the campaign period for senatorial bets and party-list groups runs from Feb. 12 to May 11.

Candidates for congressman and regional, provincial and city and municipal posts could campaign from March 29 to May 11. 

Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Escudero called on politicians to focus on more pressing issues rather than discuss political plans for next year’s midterm elections.

Escudero said discussions about political coalitions should be put on hold to give way to urgent issues like the power crisis, the unabated gasoline price increases and the impending tuition hikes.

He was referring to the reported coalition forged by Vice President Jejomar Binay’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and former President Joseph Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) to prepare for next year’s elections.

Escudero is a re-electionist senator who has remained independent since he resigned from the Nationalist People’s Coalition in 2009.

The senator said there are more pressing issues that need to be addressed rather than varied political plans.

“Alliances are political certainties and there is rhyme and reason to that. The polls may be already next year but personally I think it’s not yet the right time to be busy about political shopping,” Escudero said.

He said much had already been waylaid and disrupted in the legislative work of both chambers of Congress by the impeachment trial at the Senate of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“There is always the right timing to talk politics, it is inevitable yes, but this should take a backseat because we have many pressing issues to take care of and these are unavoidable issues that hit people in their guts,” Escudero said.

He there is a need to catch up with priorities that yield tangible and immediate gains for the people like jobs, food for the table and roofs over their heads.

Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, will hold a hearing on Thursday next week, regarding bills seeking a log ban in Cagayan de Oro City, conservation and protection of mangroves in the country, and the creation of the La Mesa Watershed Reservation Act among others.– With Christina Mendez