Comelec seeks earlier election period

Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday urged Congress to amend election guidelines so that the election period should start once the poll aspirants file their certificates of candidacies, instead of it taking place 120 days before the elections.

This is what Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said following the recent incident where an election officer in Lanao del Norte was killed in an apparent poll-related motive. He reiterated that the Comelec still has no authority to put government control since it is not yet the start of the election period.

READ: Comelec exec in Lanao del Norte dead in apparent poll-related violence

“I hope that our election period starts from the moment that we require filing [certificates] of candidacy, and not just 120 days before the election. I hope that upon the filing of candidacy, the gun ban should start before the election period,” Garcia said in an ambush interview.

READ: Comelec to PNP: Resolve slay case of South Cotabato vice mayoral bet

Garcia described the situation as a “loophole” where the poll body’s power will only be effective during the election period.

The formal election period will start on January 12, 2025, and will last until June 11, 2025. Garcia previously reiterated that poll aspirants will only be called candidates at the onset of the campaign period.

Garcia renewed calls to the Philippine National Police to resolve the slay case of the election officer to not further incite fear among constituents.

He said that upon initial investigations, the slain election officer had been receiving death threats since the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan 2023 elections, which he repeatedly ignored.

“A closer look would reveal that the lives of election officers out in the field face dangers not just before the elections or during the elections, but also after the elections. These criminal elements will always be there shadowing them,” Garcia noted.

The poll body chief also said that he instructed regional directors to transfer election officers to other areas if they have a relative running for office to avoid any danger.