The Certificate of Candidacy
A COC, or a certificate of candidacy, is a formal statement of a political candidate’s background and creed to the intended population. It is filled out to indicate a candidate’s intention to run for public office, as well as to confirm his/her announcement of candidacy.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, a person should submit the COC within a certain time frame to certify eligibility for any elective public office. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has the authority to impose or extend the deadline for filing a COC.
The COC forms can be accessed through the Comelec website and in the Comelec offices. Afterwards, the COCs are to be submitted in certain offices, pursuant to Section 17 of Comelec Resolution No.10420, depending on the position the applicant is running for.
Filing COC ≠ Official Candidate
Filing a COC does not guarantee an applicant’s candidacy. The Comelec examines all of the submissions and takes into account the applicants' eligibility. After reviewing the COCs, the Comelec will then compile an official list of candidates.
Aspiring applicants have until October 8, 2021 to submit their applications. The tentative list of candidates for the 2022 elections is set to be released on October 29, 2021. The list will be available on the Comelec website and in the Comelec offices where the COCs were submitted.
Denying a COC
Under the Omnibus Election Code, a COC can be cancelled or denied if a candidate makes false statements of a material representation.
Material representation refers to the qualifications for elective office. This includes representation regarding age, residence, being a registered voter, and citizenship. It is important to note that profession and use of another name other than that stated in the birth certificate that was submitted are not grounds to cancel a COC because they are not qualifications for running for an elective office.
A petition to cancel a COC must be submitted within five days from the last day of filing the COC, but not more than 25 days after.
Substitution of Candidates
A substitution of candidates is only allowed in cases of death, withdrawal, or disqualification of the original candidate, in pursuant to the Omnibus Election Code.
Candidates who do not belong to any party, or are independent, are not qualified for substitution. A substitute can only be someone who belongs to, and is nominated by, the same political party as the original candidate. The substitution will be accepted even if the substitute just became a member of the same political party as the original candidate after the latter's death, withdrawal, or disqualification.
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