Comelec: No political scions in youth polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday asked voters to be vigilant to ensure that no members of political clans / dynasties will be able to run in Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on May 14.

"If anybody knows that they have relatives or family members elected, there is no stopping them from questioning the eligibility of a candidate,” Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez stressed.

The SK Reform Act of 2015 states that an SK official “must not be related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any incumbent elected national official or to any incumbent elected regional, provincial, city, municipal, or barangay official, in the locality, where he or she seeks to be elected”.

This means that one cannot run for an SK post if he/she has relatives who are elected officials.

Meantime, the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) advised SK and barangay election candidates to file their certificates of candidacy (COC) early.

"Let us not wait anymore for the deadline," Namfrel said in its advisory.

The group issued the call days before the start of the filing of COC on April 14.

The Comelec set the period of filing of COC for the village and youth polls from April 14 to 20.