The Commission on Elections in Negros Oriental said Friday it would begin accepting Certificates of Candidacy on Monday, Nov. 6 in time for the Dec. 9 special elections in the Province’s 3rd Congressional District.
The filing of COCs at the Provincial Comelec office in this capital city would run until Nov. 8, lawyer Elisero Labaria, acting provincial election supervisor, told the media.
“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 Nov. 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 on Aug. 30.
The Comelec announced in August the holding of the special elections in the 3rd 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, refusal to return to the country, and for being tagged as the alleged mastermind in the March 4 assassination of Gov. Roel Degamo.
In the absence of Arnie 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 3rd District only, or the entire Negros Oriental, will be placed under Comelec control.
The 3rd District comprises the towns of 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 Barangay & Sangguniang Kabataan Elections up to the observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)
