MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has so far received two certificates of candidacies (COCs) for the special elections in the lone district in Dasmariñas City, Cavite as it opened the period of filing on Wednesday.
The Comelec scheduled the three-day filing of COC from July 15 to 17, 2026 for the special elections that will be held on August 29, 2026.
The political exercise will take place following the expulsion of former lawmaker Kiko Barzaga by the House of Representatives last June 2 over his “disruptive” and “disorderly” behavior.
READ: Comelec sets July 15-17 as COC filing period for Dasmariñas polls
Former Vice Mayor Raul Rex Mangubat was the first to file his COC in the morning, followed by Marvin Opamin Dupal-Ag in the afternoon.
The Comelec will accept COCs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the audio visual room of the Socio-Economic Building (New City Hall) of Dasmariñas, Cavite.
“Those who want to file their COCs, you may file it personally or through an authorized person in the stated address and submit five copies of sworn Certificate of Candidacy with the Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance, if applicable,” Comelec said in a statement.
The poll body also said that aspirants must have the copy of their birth certificates attached in the Annex 1 of their COCs.
What if Barzaga will once again run for the position he was expelled from?
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said that the poll body is bound to fulfill its duty under the Constitution.
“What if [Barzaga] runs and if he wins, can he be proclaimed by the Comelec? We will answer that later. It’s hard to preempt that,” Garcia said during a voter education drive in Negros Oriental.“But what we are saying is we are under obligation to conduct the election no matter what because that is what is sanctioned by no less than the Constitution,” the poll chief explained.
READ: Comelec sets special polls in Barzaga’s district in Cavite Aug. 29
Garcia earlier said that the former lawmaker may still run in the special elections “because his expulsion as a congressman is not a perpetual disqualification to hold public office.”
He remarked that this is different when an individual has been convicted with finality over any case, noting that the punishment includes perpetual disqualification to hold any public office.
Meanwhile, the Comelec has written to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the sourcing of P191 million needed for the elections.
Garcia said that the poll body needs the funds since there are over 437,000 registered voters in the district.
The Comelec intends to procure more election materials, and pay the teachers honoraria, since they will serve as electoral board members on election day. /apl
The post Comelec receives two COCs so far for Dasmariñas special polls on August 29 appeared first on Inquirer.net.
