BACOLOD City – The Commission on Elections called out five winning Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) candidates who were found to be overage when they ran as SK kagawads during the May 14 elections in this capital city.
Comelec-Bacolod confirmed the issuance of the orders to answer the petitions filed by the Comelec Law Department against Mark Joseph Mijares of Barangay Cabug, Noli Sanchez of Barangay Felisa, Hermilo Lizades of Barangay Pahanocoy, Joebel Peñas Jr. of Barangay Mandalagan, and Kim Maiko Lim of Barangay 37.
City Election Officer Mavil Sia said she initially sent a list of 14 candidates deemed as overage to the Comelec central office.
The two withdrew their certificates of candidacy (COCs). Out of the remaining 12, the five were elected.
“They are required by the Commission’s First Division or Second Division to file an answer to the case filed against them by Comelec Law Department,” Sia said.
The order directs each of the complained winning candidates to respond to the “motu proprio petition to deny due course to and/or cancel COC.”
The respondents have been directed to “personally file with the Office of the Clerk of the Commission a verified answer cum memorandum with the original and/or certificate true copy of evidence within a non-extendible period of three days from receipt hereof.”
Four, except Lizades, have already received a copy of the order as of Tuesday.
Sia said it is a “part of due process,” adding that if Comelec cancels their COCs, they could not assume office come June 30.
The Comelec Law Department filed the petition on May 13 but Sia said they only received the facts on June 8.
“They did not just overlook the age requirement, they insisted that they were qualified to run. It’s a matter of the interpretation of the law,” Sia said. (With a report from PNA/PN)
