ELECTION fever nationwide started last Tuesday when the Commission on Elections (Comelec) began accepting certificates of candidacy for various local and national positions.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said that among the early birds were 17 senatorial aspirants and 15 party-list organizations. On the local level, candidates for representatives, governor, mayor, vice mayor, and councilors have also started filing their certificates. Others are still waiting for the next few days, or on the deadline of filing which is October 8.
Among those who filed on the first day were re-electionist Senator Francis Tolentino of the Partido Federal ng Filipinas, along with AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee of Aksyon Demokratiko, Jose Montemayor of Partido Federal ng Maharlika, and Najar Salih of Partido Maharlika. They joined 13 other senatorial bets, all aiming for the winning circle of 12 senators, while many more will join the fray today up to Tuesday next week.
‘Violence has always been an ugly characteristic of Philippine elections and the forthcoming political exercise in May is expected to be the same.’
Meanwhile, 15 party-list groups have filed their certificate of nomination – certificate of acceptance of nomination (CON-CAN).
Those who submitted their CON-CAN on the first day of the filing period were: Ang Bumbero ng Pilipinas, Kabayan, Manila Teachers, Ako OFW, Lingap, Akay ni Sol, Agao, Buhay, Bayan Muna, Coop Natcco, Kamanggagawa, Magsasaka, ACT-CIS, Senior Citizens, and Diwa.
Both the Comelec and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are happy that no untoward incident occurred on the first day of filing, and many people hope that the tight security measures they put in place will hold until the last day, and even up to election day in May next year.
“So far, our nationwide monitoring showed there were no disturbances during the filing of certificate of candidacy. Our first day was a success. Outside the venue, the filers have many companions but they were able to observe order during the filing,” the poll body chief said.
Violence has always been an ugly characteristic of Philippine elections and the forthcoming political exercise in May is expected to be the same. This is why the poll body usually declare a gun ban every election season.
Under Comelec Resolution No. 10999, the gun ban will be in effect during the election period from Jan. 12 to June 11, 2025. However, the PNP expects heated and more violence-prone elections next year that they are looking into an early implementation of the election gun ban.
In the meantime that the Commission on Elections en banc is still studying the request, the PNP is ramping up its campaign against loose firearms as a precautionary measure.
There is also the need for the police to clamp down on all illegal activities, mostly gambling, online and cellphone scams, robbery and other crimes that could generate funds that might be used in the polls. As the elections near, there is also merit in the usual recall of police escorts from relatives of policemen who are running, and a preventive reshuffle of personnel if warranted.
There is nothing like adequate preparation on the part of law enforcement and election watchdog operations in every election.
