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Wednesday, November 04, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES

Nation

Candidacy filing deadline extended by a day

THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) yesterday decided to extend by a day the deadline for filing of certificate of candidacy (CoC) and open offices even on weekends and a holiday to accommodate those running in next year’s polls.

-- BW FILE PHOTO

Comelec Chairman Jose Armando R. Melo told reporters yesterday that the new deadline for the CoC filing is midnight of Dec. 1.

The poll body had set Nov. 20-30 as the period of CoC filing.

"From Nov. 20, we will be open for the filing of application of candidacy regardless of whether it is a Saturday or a holiday including those holidays in the ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao)," Mr. Melo said.

Nov. 27 to 28 or the Feast of the Sacrifice has been declared a holiday in ARMM, while Nov. 30 (Bonifacio Day) is a national holiday.

Mr. Melo said they would no longer extend the deadline beyond Dec. 1.

"We still have the period of disqualification [of candidates. We will have to decide on the cases of nuisance candidates within a period of one month only, which is from December until early January. We have to also consider the Christmas holidays."

He said extending the CoC filing beyond Dec. 1 could delay other preparations for the automated polls such as printing of ballots on Feb. 7. Election day is May 10.

Premature campaigning

Meanwhile, Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Y. Larrazabal said yesterday that they will be issuing guidelines for those in the entertainment industry who will run for office.

The guidelines, he said, would be issued after actress Ara Mina (Hazel Reyes Mathay in real life), who is reportedly running for Quezon City councilor, yesterday sought clarification from Comelec in behalf of her colleagues on whether appearance in television programs or movies after the CoC filing would be considered premature campaigning.

The campaign period for national posts (president, vice-president, senator, party-list congressman) is on Feb. 9-May 8, while the campaign period for local candidates (district congressmen and local government officials) will be on March 26-May 8. -- Louella D. Desiderio

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