THE FILING of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) is from Oct. 1 to 8, 2021 set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for political aspirants.
If an aspirant missed the deadline, of course, he or she can still file his or her COC. However, this time he or she is a substitute for someone else and subject to certain conditions.
A case in point is what President Rodrigo Duterte did in the 2016 national elections. The substitution period varies per election season.
Comelec Resolution 10420 promulgated in September 2018 allowed substitute candidates for those who withdrew, died, or are disqualified until midday of Election Day. The substitute and the substituted should have the same surname. It permitted substitution for withdrawals, and not only for those who died or were disqualified.
On Aug. 18, 2021, Comelec issued Resolution No. 10717 which states that an aspirant/official candidate of a registered political party or coalition who withdraws, dies, or is disqualified for any cause may be substituted by an aspirant/official candidate belonging to or nominated by the same political party or coalition, on or before Nov. 15, 2021.
Thus, for next year’s election, a substitute candidate can file his or her COC by Nov. 15. This happens when the original candidate withdraws, dies, or is disqualified by final judgment. The name of the substitute will be included in the printed automated ballots.
If the original candidate dies or is disqualified, the substitute can file his or her COC from Nov. 16, 2021, up to midday of May 9, 2022. Substitutes cannot run in case of withdrawals during this period.
Of course, this COC will reflect the name of the substitute.
When it comes to substituting party-list nominees by reason of death or incapacity, the substitute candidate should also belong to, and be nominated by, the political party or coalition of the original candidate.
The deadline for substituting of party-list nominees who withdraw is on Nov. 15, 2021. On the other hand, the deadline for substituting party-list nominees by reason of death or incapacity is midday of Election Day.
No substitution is allowed for independent candidates./PN
