Comelec holds press conference after Day 1 of COC filing for 2025 Philippine elections

Summary

The transcript details an event involving the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2028 National and Local elections in the Philippines. COMELEC officials, including Executive Director Ernesto Maceda and Chairman George Erwin Garcia, discuss the successful first day of filings, which included monitoring, ensuring peace among supporters, and handling issues like incomplete documents. They also address a Supreme Court ruling regarding appointive officials running for office and clarify processes surrounding political parties and party list nominees. The event highlights COMELEC’s commitment to transparency, democracy, and the legal framework of elections.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ernesto Ferdinand P. Macedo Jr. is the Executive Director, and George Erwin Garcia is the chairman of the event.
• 📋 The Comelec welcomes candidates for senator, party list organizations, and political parties filing their certificates of candidacies.
• ⚠️ Some candidates failed to bring complete certificates of candidacy, leading to temporary delays in their filing process.
• 📊 The first day of filing was successful with no major incidents reported nationwide, including in Batanes where they extended registration.
• 📝 A TRO (temporary restraining order) from the Supreme Court was issued concerning Section 11 of Comelec Resolution 1145.
• 📄 Appointive officials running for positions are deemed resigned upon filing their certificate of candidacy according to new policies under Resolution 1165.
• 👨‍⚖️ A clarification from the Supreme Court is sought regarding whether nominees of political parties should be considered resigned.
• 🔍 The Comelec accredits 42 new party-list organizations, adding to the existing 122, making a total of 164 party-list participants.
• 📈 There were 17 senator candidates and 15 party-list groups filing their candidacies on the first day.
• 🏛️ The Comelec remains committed to transparency and will release all filed certificates of candidacies two weeks after the filing period.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the press conference?

The press conference was held to discuss the first day of filing Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for the upcoming elections, provide updates on the process, and address media questions regarding the election preparations.

Who led the press conference and provided opening remarks?

Chairman George Erwin Garcia led the press conference and provided the opening remarks, thanking all the participants and organizations involved in the election preparations.

What issues did some candidates face when filing their COCs?

Some candidates arrived without the necessary number of COC copies (five were required), while others came without any COCs and only requested to have their names recorded. Both situations were not allowed, and the candidates were asked to complete their documents first.

Were there any untoward incidents reported during the filing process?

No untoward incidents were reported throughout the country. The monitoring operations showed that the first day of the filing was peaceful and orderly, thanks to the cooperation of the candidates, their supporters, and the security forces.

What was the significance of the Supreme Court's Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) mentioned in the press conference?

The Supreme Court issued a TRO regarding Section 11 of COMELEC Resolution 1145. This section dealt with the issue of whether government appointive officials who file COCs for elective positions are deemed resigned. The TRO requires that all appointive officials who file for candidacy be considered resigned upon the filing of the Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance.

What are the key changes in COMELEC’s policy regarding appointive officials running for office?

Under the new resolution (1165), appointive officials who are nominees for party lists are deemed resigned starting from the beginning of the campaign period, February 11, 2025. However, due to the TRO from the Supreme Court, they are now deemed resigned upon filing their Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance.

How many party list organizations were accredited by COMELEC?

COMELEC accredited 42 new party list organizations, adding to the existing 122, making a total of 164. However, 160 organizations were officially allowed to participate after some political parties were disqualified for not filing the proper petitions.

What challenges did COMELEC face in accrediting political parties and organizations?

COMELEC faced challenges where some political parties filed incorrect documents, such as a 'manifestation to participate' instead of the required petition to participate. These parties were disqualified from participating.

What stance did COMELEC take regarding 'nuisance candidates'?

COMELEC clarified that candidates will not be disqualified simply because they lack financial resources to run a campaign. The Supreme Court has provided guidelines for determining nuisance candidates, ensuring that disqualification is not based on poverty or lack of campaign funds.

What can be expected in the coming days of the COC filing process?

It is expected that the number of candidates filing for national positions will increase as the deadline approaches, especially on October 3, when several well-known personalities are expected to file their COCs.