The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Oriental said Friday that it would begin accepting certificates of candidacy on Monday, November 6, in time for the December 9 special elections in the province’s third congressional district.
The filing of COCs at the provincial Comelec office in Dumaguete City would run until Wednesday, November 8, lawyer Elisero Labaria, acting provincial election supervisor, said.
“We are actually ready for the special elections, except that we are awaiting word from the Comelec central office regarding the forms to be used for the filing of the COCs,” he said.
The election period will officially begin on Thursday, November 9, he said, adding that there have been no changes so far in the calendar of activities for the special elections as stipulated in Comelec Resolution No. 10945 promulgated August 30.
The Comelec announced in August the holding of the special elections in the third district to fill the vacancy left by then Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., who was expelled by the House of Representatives for several reasons, including his continued absences and refusal to return to the country and being tagged as the alleged mastermind in the March 4 assassination of Governor Roel Degamo.
In the absence of Teves, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was named caretaker of the 3rd legislative district of Negros Oriental.
Labaria said there is no word yet as to whether the third district only or the entire Negros Oriental will be placed under Comelec control.
The third district comprises Valencia, Bacong, Dauin, Zamboanguita, Siaton, Sta. Catalina, Bayawan City, and Basay in the south of the province. It has a total of 301,264 registered voters.
Meanwhile, the security forces deployed to Negros Oriental for election duty in relation to the Comelec control status have started returning to their mother units, Lt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said.
Polinar said the province was generally peaceful throughout the BSKE up to the observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.*PNA