ILOILO City – Campaigning is prohibited on Maundy Thursday (April 18) and Good Friday (April 19), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded candidates running for local and national positions in the May 13 midterm polls. Erring candidates may be imprisoned for not less than one year but not more than six years and worse, disqualified from running for public office.
Campaigning on these days is an election offense, said Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros, citing the Section 3 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9006 (Fair Elections Act).
The two-day campaign break gives candidates and voters time to rest and reflect on the significance of Lent, and weigh the candidates before deciding who to vote on election day, said Mendros.
But given the limited number of Comelec personnel, Mendros admitted that monitoring all the activities of the candidates on Thursday and Friday would be very difficult. He thus urged the public to be vigilant and help Comelec.
“We will wait na lang na may mag-file ng complaint. Hindi naman natin kaya na habulin silang lahat na kandidato. Ilan lang ang tao natin sa bawat munisipyo,” explained Mendros.
In Manila, Comelec’s Commissioner Luie Tito Guia said Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, including the day before the election, are “quiet periods.”
Motorcades are also banned during these days, he stressed.
The giving of t-shirts, bottled water or fans bearing the pictures or names of candidates or anything of value to the public is not allowed and may be considered as vote-buying, warned Guia.
“It is on Section 68 of the Omnibus Election Code. It can be ground for disqualification but what is clear is vote-buying,” Guia said.
Meanwhile, an official of the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA)/Caritas Philippines’ reminded the faithful not to wear campaign t-shirts inside churches during the Holy Week.
Father Edwin A. Gariguez, NASSA/Caritas Philippines’ executive secretary, said one should refrain from wearing clothes bearing the names or photos of candidates when going to church.
He said a person goes to church to pray and to be with God, adding that the public, including candidates or supporters, should change their clothes if they really want to attend mass or visit a church to pray.
“Even there is no law which bans this, they should be sensitive and have a sense of delicadeza. Let us respect the place of worship and prayer,” he said in Filipino.
Campaigning resumes on April 20.
For his part, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said, “Ang tinutukoy talaga na campaigning ay ‘yung mga overt na pangangampanya. Halimbawa, pagpapa-caravan or pagbibitbit ng polyeto, o pagtayo sa isang kampo at mag-speech diyan, manghihingi ng boto.”
He urged the public to be more discerning, given that a simple handshake from a candidate during those days may already be confused as campaigning.
“Sana ‘yung mga kababayan natin ma-recognize nila na this is still within the campaign season and it would be very difficult to expect sa mga kandidato na huwag nang kumamay o biglang maging suplado for two days,” said Jimenez. “So mangyayari at mangyayari na magkakamay-kamay ‘yang mga ‘yan.”
The campaign period for national elective posts (senator and party-list) started on Feb. 12 while that for local posts (congressman, governor, vice governor, mayor, vice mayor, members of the sangguniang bayan and panlalawigan) was on March 29.
The last day of campaign is March 11. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
