BY MARY JOY CAVAÑAS
ILOILO City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued show-cause orders to 19 candidates participating in the Oct. 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in this city. These orders are in response to allegations of premature campaigning.
Jonathan Sayno, Election Assistant II of the Iloilo City Comelec, revealed that a significant number of the complaints pertained to candidates’ social media activities.
“Posting campaign propaganda on Facebook is considered premature campaigning. As of now, there haven’t been any physical campaign posters displayed around,” he said during an interview with Bombo Radyo Iloilo.
In Barangay Calumpang, Molo district, five candidates, including an SK chairman hopeful, have received show-cause orders.
Per the regulations of the poll body, it is deemed an election offense for candidates to engage in campaigning from the start of the certificate of candidacy filing period until Oct. 18.
The official campaign season begins on Thursday, Oct. 19, and concludes on Oct. 28./PN