MANILA – To ensure a fair playing field for all national and local candidates during elections, Sen. Leila de Lima filed a measure that will penalize candidates for premature campaigning.
Under Senate Bill No. 777, candidates who file certificates of candidacies (COCs) are considered as candidates at the time of the filing, making them liable for election offenses, including premature campaigning.
In the existing Automated Election Systems Law, any person who files his COC shall be considered as a candidate at the start of the campaign period.
“It is high time to address the issue of premature campaigning through a corrective legislative action,” de Lima said. “This legislative loophole has been used and abused by offenders in order to gain an undue advantage over their fellow candidates.”
Under de Lima’s measure, anyone will automatically be considered a candidate upon filing his/her COC.
In case of persons holding a public appointive office or positions, including active members of the armed forces and officers and employees of government-owned and controlled corporation, they shall be deemed resigned upon filing their COCs.
Premature campaigning will be punished by disqualification from continuing as candidate or be prevented from holding office in case of victory.
“The recently-conducted national and local midterm elections had seen brazen instances of premature campaigning, on top of massive vote buying in unprecedented levels,” de Lima said.
“Let us take the necessary steps to ensure an even playing field and foster an environment of fairness and propriety every election season,” added de Lima./PN
