The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it has been very fair in handling parties during the filing of the certificates of candidacy for the May 2022 polls.
"I'd like to point out to everyone that we have been very fair in handling all the parties, and all the parties have received the same sort of treatment," Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said in an online press briefing Friday,Oct. 8.
A senator earlier called out Comelec for giving special preference to the PDP-Laban Cusi wing.
The lady senator shared a picture from a news site showing President Duterte raising the hands of administration bets
at Sofitel Tent in Pasay City, the venue of the filing of COCs for national posts.
Jimenez revealed that the companions of the senatorial candidates were actually asked to go out precisely because it turned out that there were too many of them.
"Ultimately, they were left with less even than the allowed number of companions. So, I don't see the special treatment," he said.
"Of course we did have the PSG here but as we said earlier, the President is entitled to a security detail so allowances will have to be made for that. Maybe that was the perception of special treatment came in. But again, ultimately each candi is being treated same way as every other candidate," added Jimenez.