Local show business is currently being rocked by a recent Comelec directive ordering media personalities to resign or absent themselves from their work if they are to endorse political candidates during the official election campaign period.

Ferdinand Rafanan of the Comelec Law Department said the ruling is covered in Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Elections Act and as such is mandatory.

“An election offense is punishable by one to six years imprisonment, disenfranchisement and disqualification from holding public office,” said he.

PPCRV lawyer Howard Calleja said in a dzMM radio interview that they are also prepared to press charges against personalities caught violating the Fair Election Act.

The announcement didn’t sit well with some celebrities.

Kris Aquino, ABS-CBN talk show host and sister of presidential candidate Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III, was hesitant to address the issue in an interview with a leading daily.

“What will happen to my family if I stop working? If they will implement this provision, it should apply to everybody equally.”

But in the popular networking website Twitter, Aquino couldn’t help but wax loquacious about the provision.

@itsmekrisaquino she tweeted:

“The Comelec wants artists who are actively participating in the campaign to take a leave or be jailed. Since when has it been wrong to...make a stand for what you believe? What is so wrong in wanting to take an active role in our democratic process? If it's wrong to care about the Philippines and practice my constitutional rights to free speech and my freedom to vote then jail me... ...and let's go back to the dark days of Martial Law!”

Leo Martinez, director general of the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) questioned the seeming vagueness of the law.

“[The law] is not clear… it is very ambiguous. It doesn’t state who or what is covered specifically. [Is it] somebody who appears on print ads? On commercials? Employed or merely commissioned? What if I just stand with the candidate on same stage because...well, because I believe in him or her? Can I be held liable? I don’t think that’s right. [The Comelec] should clear this first.”

Martinez said the law is detrimental to “freedom of expression.”

“This is wrong. We all have our choices. Freedom of expression applies to all.”

Batangas governor and actress Vilma Santos, who is running for reelection under Aquino’s Liberal Party, also questioned the implementation of the ruling.

She asked, “Why did the ruling single out artists and celebrities? But what about those who didn’t appear in ads, but are openly campaigning for candidates in shows and rallies, are they also covered by the ruling?”

Actor and former Sen. Vicente Sotto III, who is running for the Senate under the Nationalist People’s Coalition, questions the motive behind the law, deeming it detrimental to his campaign.

Sotto claims he is only banking on his relatives, who happened to be celebrities, to boost his campaign. “Is it my fault that I have celebrity relatives?”

Presidential aspirant Aquino said he had ordered his lawyers to question the Comelec ruling before the high court.

Aquino’s rival, Nacionalista Party Sen. Manuel Villar, said the celebrities affected by the Comelec ruling “are humans [and] voters, too” and asked: “Why should we suppress their right to choose their (candidates)?”

Then again, there are others who approve of the law.

Former President Joseph Estrada, a former actor, standard bearer of Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino, expressed support regarding Comelec’s warning.

“Ex-president Estrada follows laws strictly so if that's what the law says we will follow it," said Estrada's spokesperson Margaux Salcedo.

She said the Comelec prohibition "would be advantageous to the Erap campaign because we do not have any paid endorsers, unlike other candidates who are [engaged] in a bidding war over top celebrities."

The Palace has also readily welcomed the PPCRV and Comelec's reminders.

"If that is the case then it should be heeded," said deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar.