The Commission on Elections (COMELEC), citing the need “to afford more time for the pre-election preparations for the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)”, has promulgated Resolution No. 9218 on Wednesday, resetting the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COC) for the regional polls to May 19 -23, 2011.
Election for the position of Regional Governor, Regional Vice-Governor and Members of the Regional Legislative Assembly will be held in the ARMM on August 8, 2011.
According to COMELEC Resolution No. 9212, promulgated April 28, 2011, COCs for Regional Governor and Regional Vice-Governor shall be filed at the Office of the ARMM Regional Election Director, while COCs for the position of Members of Regional Legislative Assembly shall be filed at the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor concerned.
The filing of COCs shall be from 8:00 o’clock in the morning up to 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon, inclusive of Saturday and Sunday.
Meanwhile, the COMELEC also ruled to reset the election period in connection with the ARMM elections to June 9, 2011 to September 7, 2011.
In Resolution No. 9219, dated May 11, 2011, the COMELEC said there is a need for “more time to prepare and review the guidelines for the conduct of the elections to ensure a credible election in the ARMM,” as the reason for the reset.
During the election period, the bearing, carrying or transporting of firearms and deadly weapons is banned in the ARMM. The use of bodyguards and security personnel of candidates is likewise banned, said the COMELEC.
According to COMELEC Spokesman James Jimenez, there are 1,778, 817 registered voters in the ARMM.
source: www.comelec.gov.ph
