The country’s poll body, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced to the media that the final list of candidates for the 2016 national elections will be released on January 8, 2016. Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista clarified that by January 8, 2015, the Comelec will no longer allow any changes on the list of candidates as the printing of the ballots will be already be under way by the third week of January.
The Comelec was expected to come out with the final list of candidates Tuesday but due to some problems faced by some candidates in national positions, the Comelec en banc was not able to compete the list of candidates.
Instead of releasing the official list of candidates, the Comelec said that they are now looking to release an initial list of candidates on December 23, 2015. “We have moved our initial loading of data, including the list of candidates, in the election management system from this week to next,” he said.
“This is only initial as opposed to the final list of candidates,” Bautista said.
Aside from the disqualification case against Sen. Grace Poe and the substitution issue against Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Bautista said they have received 29 other motions for reconsideration from those who have been declared nuisance candidates.