MANILA — Similar to the recently-concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), aspirants for the vacated Negros Oriental 3rd District House post will already be considered candidates once they file their Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the special elections.

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According to Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia, this is because the December 9 special elections will be done manually.

“Ina-apply po namin yung Section 80 ng Omnibus Election Code. Ibig sabihin, kayo po ay considered candidates na kaagad kapag sila ay nag-file ng Certificates of Candidacy. Bawal ‘yung mga fiesta atmosphere, bawal ‘yung mga parang may festival, bawal ‘yung may napakadaming tao kapag magfi-file ng COC. At again bawal pa muna mangampanya hangga’t wala pa yung campaign period,” Garcia said.

Automated elections are covered by the Automated Election System Law.

The campaign period is set on the last week of November, while COC filing is from November 6 to 11.

There will be no more extension in filing COCs after the first extension from the original deadline of November 8 to give aspirants more time.

Comelec is opting for manual elections because it does not want to use the old vote counting machines given their tendency to malfunction.

“Hindi na namin gagamitin ‘yan sa Negros. Napaka-crucial kasi ng election sa Negros. Congressional position yan. Gusto man namin pero alam natin na papalpak yung mga makina diyan,” Garcia explained. “So ang mangyayari dito, manual nalang lahat magmula sa pagboto, magmula sa pagbilang, magmula sa pag-canvass sa bayan kasama sa pag-canvass sa probinsya.”

The special elections will be held to find the replacement of former Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., who was expelled by the House of Representatives and is tagged as mastermind behind the killing of former Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

Comelec is set to decide if there is a need to put the 3rd District under its control.

CAN TEVES, DEGAMO WIDOW RUN?

Garcia refused to categorically answer whether Teves or Degamo’s widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, can run. He said Comelec is bound to its ministerial duty to accept anyone’s COC.

“Kahit sino po mag-file ng COC, qualified man siya o hindi, of age o hindi, citizen o hindi, registered voter o hindi, ang Comelec will always accept the Certificates of Candidacy."

Comelec is, however, open to any petition for disqualification or cancellation of candidacy.

The latter is done against a candidate who has not met eligibility requirements such as citizenship, while the former is done when a candidate violated rules such as committing premature campaigning.