MANILA — Only 10 senatorial aspirants and 12 party-list groups have filed their respective certificates of candidacy (COCs) during the second day of the filing period, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported Friday afternoon.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said this constitutes a very low number of COC filers, making it a slow day overall. “Matumal iyan (It has been quite slow) considering we had 27 (senatorial aspirants) yesterday (Thursday) and 10 now, then that is a slow day,” he added.
In the first two days of the filing period, a total of 37 aspirants filed their COCs for senator and a total of 30 party-list organizations.
The poll body official said they expect many people to file their COCs next week.
“(We expect the bulk) most likely next week. I think that is one of the explanations for why we are having very few filers today because it is the coming weekend. So maybe people thought, ‘Let us give the weekend to think about it.’ But certainly after this weekend, Monday the sense of the impending end will operate and people will start hurrying things along,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jimenez said senatorial candidate lawyer Larry Gadon has initially submitted an incorrect copy of the COC but it was immediately corrected. “The first form he submitted was not the correct one,” he said, noting that he was given a new form, which he accomplished and eventually submitted to the poll body.
“Meron lang kinuhang picture, kinulang ng picture, ng photo (There was just a lack of photo),” Gadon explained, adding that the last time he filed a COC, back in 2016, he only submitted one photo. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
