Manila – The Commission on Elections has postponed to later this week from its original schedule on Dec. 15 the release of the final list of candidates for the 2019 midterm elections.
In a statement, Comelec Commissioner James Jimenez said the delay was due to the request of Comelec en banc as they resolve the disqualification cases filed against some candidates.
“The Comelec has announced that the release date for the final list of candidates for the national and local elections has been moved to the latter half of this week,” Jimenez said.
“The release date was pushed back to allow pending issues related to several candidacies to be settled, without negatively impacting the final contents of the 2019 ballot,” he added.
Jimenez also assured the voting public that the one week delay in the release of the list of candidates will not adversely affect the Commission’s schedule of activities for next year’s polls.
The Comelec has earlier announced that it will release the final list of candidates on Dec. 15 after reviewing the certificates of candidacies of those running for the Senate.
There were a total of 78 disqualification cases filed against various politicians with the complicated one was from incumbent senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, which was filed by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio.
Other notable impeachment complaint was filed by opposition senatorial candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas against a certain Lemicio Jesus Roxas, whose candidacy the losing presidential candidate said will only confuse voters./PN
