CEBU CITY — The first day of filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the 2019 midterm elections did not draw much interest from Cebuano politicians running for public office as only two aspiring candidates turned up to file their COCs on Thursday.
As of 4 p.m., Provincial Board Member Victoria Corominas-Toribio and Toledo City Councilor Leo Dolino were the only aspirants, who filed their COCs at the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) provincial office in Cebu.
Toribio is seeking reelection, while Dolino is gunning for a seat in the Provincial Board. Both are independent candidates from the 3rd District of the province.
Although Toribio and Dolino are not affiliated with any political party, they were reportedly accompanied by former senator and now Toledo City Mayor John Henry Osmeña when they filed their COCs.
Provincial election supervisor, lawyer Marco Lionel Castellano, said Toribio filed her COC for the 2016 elections on the first day of filing as well.
Castellano, meanwhile, urged those interested to run in the 2019 polls to file their COCs at the earliest possible time.
Early filing, Castellano said, would give the candidates enough time to make the necessary corrections if mistakes were found in their COCs and time enough to complete whatever requirements they need to submit before the Oct. 17 deadline.
The first day of filing of COCs turned out to be literally quiet and boring as not a single aspirant for an elective post in the city government appeared at the Comelec-Cebu City office to sign up.
Cebu City North District election officer, lawyer Marcel Sarno, said they have prepared for the filing period but spent the whole of Thursday just waiting, as nobody came to file his or her candidacy.
“Mingaw, kay wa gyud bisa’g usa nga ni-file (It’s quiet because not a single one came to file),” Sarno said.
He, however, said most of the candidates from the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan and Barug Team Rama are expected to file their COCs two days before the deadline. (Luel Galarpe/PNA)
