The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said a candidate's party at the time of the filing of the candidacy will remain regardless of the change in their affiliation.

"Whatever is your party at the time of the filing of the candidacy stays. Your certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) stays," Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said in a press briefing Thursday, March 24.
"Whatever change in your affiliation after the filing of the candidacy up to the period doesn't matter," he added.
"What will be the basis always of determining your party is your party at the time of the filing of the candidacy," said Garcia.
The poll official issued the statement on the day that presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson resigned from Partido Reporma.
"As far as the Comelec is concerned, whatever is his or her party was at the time of filing from Oct.1 to 8 will be his party for the purposes of the ballots and for the purposes of determining the dominant majority and dominant minority of the 15 major parties to be determined by the Comelec," Garcia said.