Solon to file bill seeking to allow online filing of candidacy

Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez on Thursday said he will file a bill seeking to allow the online filing of certificates of candidacy amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Rodriguez issued the announcement during an online hearing of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms.

“I’m going to file already, by tomorrow, a bill that will say personal or online… As I have said… ‘yung mga ganon na mga batas [these kinds of laws]...can be waived by the Comelec in the interest of public service,” he said.

“Let’s go online already… let us be proactive, Comelec should be— the Constitution has granted you absolute exclusive power to handle elections,” he later added.

Earlier, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said the law does not allow candidates to file their certificates of candidacy online as filing must be done personally or through a representative.

“The candidate and the representative will go to the election registrar and file. Wala na tayo niyan. Kailangan online na... [We would have none of that. It needs to be online...], think about it. Come up with a rule that filing will be online and let us see who will question that,” Rodriguez said.

He also urged Comelec to allow the public to register online.

“Allow them to register, subject to biometrics, at a later time when probably we are much better in terms of more vaccines and herd immunity,” he said.

Comelec recently launched a mobile registration app that is currently undergoing pilot testing in 500 areas with little to no internet connection. — BM, GMA News