The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has vowed to study the proposal of the Office of the Ombudsman to amend the rules on the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) for those seeking public office.
“This is a very good proposal that we will study very carefully. This is not an additional qualification, so it seems that we will not have any difficulty in approving it. We are open to such things,” Comelec chairperson George Garcia said in a Viber message on Monday.
Asked if there is a need to pass a law for the proposal, Garcia said, “just a resolution is enough”, adding that critics can question it before the Supreme Court.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla is pushing to amend the rules on COC filing by requiring candidates to swear under oath that they have no conflict of interest.
Candidates found guilty of false declarations would be meted with the penalty of disqualification.
The Omnibus Election Code requires a candidate to file a COC during a specific time before an electoral excise, national or local.
The candidate’s basic information is stated in the document including full name, age, civil status, residence, among others. (PNA)