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By EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 | Facebook: SDN — SciTech and Digital News
TAGUIG CITY (SDN) — For the first time, candidates of barangays transferred to the jurisdiction of Taguig City local government unit (LGU) filed their Certificates of Candidacy (CoCs) on August 28 for the Barangay and Sanggunian Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2023.
One of the barangays (villages) at the CoC filing hub at the Taguig Convention Hall (TCH) was West Rembo (their candidates pictured above).
On Monday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) under the leadership of Chair George Erwin Garcia opened the CoC filing nationwide for the oft-postponed political exercise.
Garcia, Taguig City Mayor Maria Laarni “Lani” L. Cayetano, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr., Southern Police District (SPD) chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Mariano, Comelec Election Officer Eric Aringay, and other officials from the poll body, Taguig LGU, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were on hand as they made ocular inspection of the CoC filing hub at the TCH.
After making their rounds, they conducted a press conference during the Comelec chief warned candidates over premature campaigning and falsifying their age in the case of the Sanggunian Kabataan bets who should not be more than 24 years old on October 19.
The Comelec will conduct the BSKE on October 30.
Formerly under the patronage of the Makati LGU, 10 barangays now belong under the Taguig LGU’s jurisdiction, such as Cembo, Comembo, East Rembo, Pembo, Pitogo, Post Proper Northside, Post Proper Southside, Rizal, South Cembo, and West Rembo.
Related: Comelec Chair Garcia Warns BSKE Bets of Imprisonment over Premature Campaigning, Fake Age; Taguig City Mayor Cayetano Assures Assistance
In relation with the BSKE political exercise, the Comelec on August 21 approved the recommendation of its Law Department to consider the 10 barangays under dispute between Makati and Taguig LGUs as part of the latter.
The poll body released Memorandum No. 230806 dated August 19 for the purpose of BSKE 2023.
As stated in the memorandum: “Resolved, further, to approve the following recommendatory actions on the commission’s preparation for the implementation of the administrative transfer of the 10 barangays in Makati City to Taguig City.”
At the presscon, Garcia opened up with the poll body’s sentiments on the 10 EMBO barangays.
“First of all, we are glad, we are thankful that we were able to transfer the filing of CoC here in Taguig (for the new barangays). Starting very early this morning (Monday), there were already many who filed their CoC from the 10 EMBO barangays,” the poll body chief pointed out.
Garcia said the EMBO candidates took time to come the Taguig filing center to file their CoC. “There are still up to now.”
“This only means they recognize the preparations Comelec has done that we recognize who has jurisdiction over the 10 barangays,” he emphasized.
The Comelec election officer, Aringay, said they will go to the 10 barangays starting next week and explain to the residents the changes about the coming elections that affect them.
“Not a big concern,” he said.
One of the changes is the residents’ precinct numbers as the Comelec will adopt the Taguig numbering system for the precincts.
Also at the presscon, the chief executive of Taguig assured Comelec of assistance whatever is needed and “extend it to the best of our ability”. (✓)