BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Occidental is finalizing its list of double registrants ahead of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30.
Three local government units have yet to provide data on double registrants, according to Comelec-Negros Occidental elections supervisor Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria.
Earlier, Comelec chair George Garcia said charges for violating the Voter’s Registration Act of 1996, or Republic Act No. 8189, would be filed against multiple or double voter registrants. He added that the Comelec would not accept the excuse of having no ulterior motive.
At the end of Comelec’s voters’ registration period on Jan. 31 this year, the number of new voters in Negros Occidental and its capital Bacolod exceeded 56,000.
Ananoria said Negros Occidental has a total of 2,014,726 regular voters and 660,686 SK voters.
With regards to the Department of Interior and Local Government guideline that prohibits visitors from participating in graduation ceremonies if they intend to campaign in the elections, Ananoria said the BSKE is non-partisan in nature, but it is the personal decision of incumbent officials to endorse candidates.
Ananoria also said the Regional Joint Security Control Center Western Visayas is expected to convene in August before the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) begins.
The election period for the BSKE begins on Aug. 28, the start of the filing of COC which will end on Sept. 2.
Comelec said candidates will not be allowed to hold campaign activities on the day after the last day of filing of the COC or on Sept. 3 until Oct. 18.
The 10-day campaign period is on Oct. 19 to 28.
Comelec stressed that BSKE candidates “can only be considered candidates at the start of the campaign period./PN
