Then President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Bong Go, and Senator Ronald Delarosa at the Comelec headquarters in Intramuros Manila on November 13, 2021. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday announced that it has decided to hold the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) and the withdrawal and substitution of candidates in the same period. 

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"Wala nang substitution after the last day ng filing ng COC," Comelec chairman George Garcia said.

Garcia said the en banc had unanimously approved his proposal to coincide the October 1 to 8 filing of COC period with the filing of withdrawal and substitution.

The Comelec chairman noted that substitution beyond the Oct. 8 deadline would be allowed only upon the death or disqualification of the candidate.

Comelec has traditionally held separate periods for the filing of COC and the withdrawal and substitution of candidates.

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But in recent election cycles, the timeline had become an avenue for political parties to put "placeholder" candidates with the intention to be substituted before the deadline.

Most famously, former President Rodrigo Duterte was a substitute candidate of PDP-Laban, who earlier fielded Martin Diño only to withdraw later.

Several bills in the House of Representatives have been filed to weed out "placeholder" candidates.

READ: 5 House bills seek to weed out 'placeholder' candidates during election

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