The number of people allowed to accompany those who will file their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) in the May 2022 polls may be limited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in view of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
"We may probably have to limit to the candidate and lawyer or family member to join the actual filing inside the office,"Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho said in an online forum on Wednesday, May 26.
He said they will also implement crowd control.
"We can also have some barriers to control the crowd. We really need to do that," said Kho.
He said this will be part of their anti-COVID-19 measures during the COC filing.
The Comelec has set the filing of COCs for national and local candidates from October 1 to 8, 2021.
As to virtual filing of COCs, Kho explained that the law requires personal appearance of the candidates.
"Under the election code, COCs must be personally filed by the candidate or authorized representative," he said.
Kho added that there appears no substantial moves also in Congress in a sense that there will be a law stating "we can waive personal appearance of candidates."