Legazpi: At least 18 aspirants of various elective positions in the Bicol region have filed a withdrawal of their certificates of candidacy (COCs), the regional office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday. Comelec 5 (Bicol Region) Director Maria Juana Valeza said in an interview on Friday that the withdrawal of COCs equates to a withdrawal of candidacy from the position they are running for. "The filing of the Statement of Withdrawal must be done personally. However, it can also be done with special power of attorney provided that they have a verified medical certificate that the aspirant cannot come in person due to his medical condition. Our law department will remove their names from the official list," Valeza said. Based on records, three of the aspirants who withdrew their candidacy were from Albay; five from Camarines Sur; one from Catanduanes; six from Masbate; and three from Sorsogon. "Based on their submitted statement, mostly, their reasons for withdrawing COCs were personal," Va leza said. She said it is the right of a candidate to file, cancel, or withdraw his COC. "No penalty will be imposed unless the candidate has a material misrepresentation or untrue statement provided in their COCs that can be used to file a criminal case for perjury," she said. Valeza said the withdrawal of COCs can be done any day before election day. Source: Philippines News agency