MALOLOS CITY—No candidate for the historic 2010 automated elections filed a certificate of candidacy (COC) at the provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) here in the first four hours of filing on Friday.
The same is true in other towns in the province, according to local municipal election officers interviewed.
“Wala pang nag-file ng COC dito,” Lawyer Sabino Mejarito, the provincial election supervisor in Bulacan said.
He said, “first day pa lang ng filing, normal yan, kasi yung mga kandidato by group kung mag-file ng COC.”
Mejarito also denied rumors that candidates in the province will boycott the elections.
He added that some candidates virtually practice superstition in filing their COCs as they are choosing days that they believe will be lucky for them.
The same was echoed by Gina Llave, Joselito Maclang and Eugene Herrera, the municipal election officers of Sta. Maria, San Ildefonso and Norzagaray towns, respectively.
Llave said that prospective candidates’ non-filing of COC yesterday could be an indication that some parties have not completed their slate.
“First day pa lang, its either di pa sila nakabuo ng slate or last day sila magpa-file,” she said.
Maclang agreed and noted that serious candidates usually file their COCs on the last day.
In the past elections in the province, a number of candidates usually took the opportunity of having the “honor” to be the first one to file their COCs.
This is due to the fact they were given media mileage as most local journalists in the province usually cover the first day of the filing of COCs.
Earlier, local politicians and elections officers described the 2010 automated elections as “historic” as it will be the first time when automated machines will be used in national elections in the country.
They also hope that the 2010 automated elections will reduce incidence of electoral fraud that usually result to dragging election protests.
However, both local politicians and election officers said that the automated elections will not necessarily reduce incidence of pre-election fraud like vote-buying and intimidation and harassment of voters.
“Vote-buying may intensify in the pre-election season compared in the past,” said Lawyer Zoilo Perlas, the regional election director in Central Luzon.
He added that they used to receive reports of vote-buying two to three days before elections.
Others said that intensified vote-buying in the pre-election is a necessary precondition of automated elections as those who will cheat can no longer cheat the precinct count scanner (PCOS) machines.
In the past, electoral fraud is usually alleged during the canvassing of votes where election returns are misappreciated or changed to favor another candidate.
The same is true in other towns in the province, according to local municipal election officers interviewed.
“Wala pang nag-file ng COC dito,” Lawyer Sabino Mejarito, the provincial election supervisor in Bulacan said.
He said, “first day pa lang ng filing, normal yan, kasi yung mga kandidato by group kung mag-file ng COC.”
Mejarito also denied rumors that candidates in the province will boycott the elections.
He added that some candidates virtually practice superstition in filing their COCs as they are choosing days that they believe will be lucky for them.
The same was echoed by Gina Llave, Joselito Maclang and Eugene Herrera, the municipal election officers of Sta. Maria, San Ildefonso and Norzagaray towns, respectively.
Llave said that prospective candidates’ non-filing of COC yesterday could be an indication that some parties have not completed their slate.
“First day pa lang, its either di pa sila nakabuo ng slate or last day sila magpa-file,” she said.
Maclang agreed and noted that serious candidates usually file their COCs on the last day.
In the past elections in the province, a number of candidates usually took the opportunity of having the “honor” to be the first one to file their COCs.
This is due to the fact they were given media mileage as most local journalists in the province usually cover the first day of the filing of COCs.
Earlier, local politicians and elections officers described the 2010 automated elections as “historic” as it will be the first time when automated machines will be used in national elections in the country.
They also hope that the 2010 automated elections will reduce incidence of electoral fraud that usually result to dragging election protests.
However, both local politicians and election officers said that the automated elections will not necessarily reduce incidence of pre-election fraud like vote-buying and intimidation and harassment of voters.
“Vote-buying may intensify in the pre-election season compared in the past,” said Lawyer Zoilo Perlas, the regional election director in Central Luzon.
He added that they used to receive reports of vote-buying two to three days before elections.
Others said that intensified vote-buying in the pre-election is a necessary precondition of automated elections as those who will cheat can no longer cheat the precinct count scanner (PCOS) machines.
In the past, electoral fraud is usually alleged during the canvassing of votes where election returns are misappreciated or changed to favor another candidate.
