By Leslie Ann Aquino
The National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) advised has Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and barangay election candidates to file their certificates of candidacy (COC) early.
National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) logo (Google image/ Manila Bulletin)
"Let us not wait anymore for the deadline," Namfrel said in a Public Advisory.
The group issued the call days before the start of the filing of COC on April 14.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) set the period of filing of COC for the village and youth polls from April 14 to 20.
The poll body, meantime, asked voters to be vigilant to ensure that no members of political dynasties will be able to run in the youth elections.
"If anybody knows that they have relatives or family members elected, there is no stopping them from questioning the eligibility of a candidate,” Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said in an interview.
The SK Reform Act of 2015 states that an SK official “must not be related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any incumbent elected national official or to any incumbent elected regional, provincial, city, municipal, or barangay official, in the locality, where he or she seeks to be elected”.