April 21, 2016, 10:31p.m. – FOUR INCUMBENT officers, including two presidential bets, have been disqualified to run for the Faculty of Pharmacy Student Council after failing to complete the requirements.
Presidential aspirants Patrick Angelo Bautista (Sandigan Party), also the incumbent internal public relations officer, and Juan Paolo Patac (Lakas Tanglaw Party), incumbent treasurer, were barred from running after failing to submit certificates of good moral character.
Council Secretary Carrie Abigail Palpal-Latoc and Assistant Secretary Danielle Encinares (Lakas Tanglaw), who were gunning for the positions of vice president and auditor, respectively, were also disqualified under the same grounds.
Pharmacy Comelec chairwoman Yssa Nicole Tarrazona said the four candidates only submitted official receipts from the University’s accounting division as evidence that they had paid for the certificates, on the day of the filing of the certificates of candidacy (COC) last March 16.
“Official receipts lang ‘yung naibigay nila during the filing of COCs. Hindi na kami nagbigay ng deadline for them to complete the requirements,” Tarrazona said in a phone interview with the Varsitarian.
In a resolution released April 16 by the UST Pharmacy Commission on Elections, the four candidates were given 24 hours to complete the requirements. Tarrazona said none of the four candidates were able to comply.
Under Article 6 of the University Students’ Election Code of 2011, candidates filing their COCs are required to submit their latest passport-sized black-and-white photo, transcript of records with general weighted average certified by the registrar, and certificate of good moral character from the Office of Students’ Affairs for Central Student Council candidates and from the dean’s office for local student council candidates. Candidates may include a copy of their program of government.
The Varsitarian tried but failed to get statements from the candidates.
According to Tarrazona, there will be a special election for the vacant positions in the student council in the first term of the next academic year.
The regular election period in the Faculty of Pharmacy started last April 19 and will end on April 22. Alhex Adrea M. Peralta
