MANILA -PDP-Laban, the country's ruling party, asked the Commission on Elections on Friday to re-open the period to file Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for the 2022 national and local elections.
The filing of COCs for all positions was held on October 1 to 8.
In a 20-page petition, PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag said the poll body should consider this move, as it cannot yet proceed with printing ballots for the elections in May next year.
Matibag reasoned that there are still cases pending against several candidates and party-list groups.
“We are asking the COMELEC to review its self-imposed deadlines in the interest of the electorate," Matibag said. "This petition will benefit everyone and should be intently considered by the Commission."
PDP-Laban ended up with no candidates for president and vice-president in the May 9, 2022 elections.
Senators Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Christopher "Bong" Go initially signed up to run for the posts, but both eventually withdrew their candidacies.
Earlier in December, hours after Go's withdrawal from the presidential race, incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte also withdrew his own senatorial bid, although he filed under another party, the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan or PDDS.
Among the candidates facing cases at the Comelec is survey frontrunner, former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. There are at least six active petitions against his bid for the presidency. Marcos' candidacy is considered the most legally-contested in the country's history.
Meanwhile, Representative Ronnie Ong is also facing a case filed against him at the Comelec for alleged turncoatism. Ong is running next year under the Ako'y Pilipino or AP Party-list. He was formerly with the Ang Probinsyano Party-list.