Comelec expects final list of candidates by Dec. 15

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) expects the release of the final list of candidates for national and local bets in the May 2019 midterm polls by December 15.

"We are expecting the release of the final list by December 15,” Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said in an interview.

The list, he said will also include those that still have pending disqualification cases.

“If your disqualification comes after that cut-off date, then your name will still be on the ballot,” said Jimenez.

He explained that the public will just be informed that this particular person has been disqualified.

In the event that they still get votes, Jimenez said those votes will be considered "stray."

On the inclusion of alleged nuisance candidates facing motu proprio petitions to deny due course or cancellation of Certificate of Candidacy, Jimenez said that “by that time, there will likely be a ruling on those cases already.

Jimenez added: When you talk about a petition to deny due course or to cancel a COC, the evidence only involves those that can be found in the face of the COC. So that is easier to decide than a petition for disqualification.

The Comelec released the tentative list of candidates for the midterm polls last month.

But the poll body said the posting of the list in their website is for the purpose of checking the name to appear on the official ballot only.

Included in the tentative list are 148 senatorial aspirants and 185 party-list groups.