No crimes were reported on the first day of filing Certificates of Candidacy (COC), according to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
In an interview on Dos Por Dos on Wednesday, COMELEC Chairman George Garcia said that fewer than 3,000 individuals filed their COCs on October 1. Among these are 17 candidates who filed their COCs for senatorial posts.
Garcia noted that a total of 18,280 positions are "at stake" in the upcoming elections.
After October 8, Garcia said that candidates who want to withdraw their candidacy will no longer be allowed to have substitutes, except in cases where the candidate dies or is disqualified.
Meanwhile, Garcia emphasized that the COMELEC will always consider humanitarian grounds.
"Noong mga nakaraang halalan, may pagkakataon na binigyan ng pagkakataon ng COMELEC ang kandidato na incapacitated talaga o brain dead. Pinayagan dahil hindi na nakakakilos at technically parang dead na 'yung tao," said the COMELEC chairman.
For party-list candidates, the COMELEC also stressed that it will not tolerate changes in advocacy after the election.
According to Garcia, there may be a need to amend our laws regarding the party-list system, "which is why the Supreme Court is often forced to interpret them."
The filing of COC for the 2025 elections is scheduled to end on October 13, 2024.
