The list of candidates in the May 2022 polls may be known by the middle of October, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday.
"After the COC (certificate of candidacy) filing, we still need to wait for the list of candidates to be submitted to the main office," Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said in a television interview.
"Maybe by the middle of October, we can see it already," he added.
In Resolution No. 10695 of the poll body, the start of posting of the tentative list of candidates at the Comelec website and at the local poll offices is on Oct. 29.
Abas explained that their Law Department will still have to screen the list.
But, he said, the list may still include those who may face disqualification cases.
Meanwhile, when asked regarding the plan of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) to join President Duterte when he files his COC for vice president, Abas replied: "I don't want to preempt what can happen in such instances."
"My instruction to our personnel is to advise potential filers and political parties in advance on our policy on filing the COCs," he said.
The Comelec earlier said that candidates for president, vice president, and senators are allowed to bring three companions only when they file their COCs to prevent crowding at the venue.