Comelec monitors candidates for possible violations, premature campaigning
Published Jan 19, 2019 05:04 pm
By Analou De Vera
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday said that it is monitoring those election hopefuls engaged in premature campaigning.
A barangay official stacks campaign materials of candidates running for office for the 2019 midterm elections after they were ordered by their barangay captain to clear off all campaign materials, tarpaulins and banners despite the official start of Campaigning imposed by COMELEC last January 13 in Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City on Jan. 17, 2019. (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN)
"We are monitoring these potential violations. We are keeping a record of them so that when we can enforce election laws, pagdating ng start ng campaign period for national candidates, then we will certainly do so," said Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez in a media briefing.
The poll official made the remark after they received reports of election hopefuls putting up tarpaulins and billboards bearing their faces; and that the national government helpline 8888 is allegedly being used to promote election candidates.
"Hindi lang din iyan ang nakikita natin. Madami tayong images na nakikita na nagdidistribute ng insurance cards. There have also been reports of people trying to leverage the 'Pantawid Pamilya' Program. Beneficiaries from the CCT (Conditional Cash Transfer) are being marketed as a campaign promise in some areas," said Jimenez.
"We are keeping track of these complaints. Again, we can do very little about that because technically these people are not official candidates yet. But the minute the campaign period starts, that is when we will begin our interventions for these things if intervention is required," he added.
To note, the campaign period for senators and party-list groups will start on February 12; while for local candidates will be on March 29. The campaign period will be until May 11.
Meanwhile, when asked when the Comelec will release the official list of candidates, the poll official said that they are still uncertain.
"It will come out when it comes out. But we hope that it comes out next week," said Jimenez.
A barangay official stacks campaign materials of candidates running for office for the 2019 midterm elections after they were ordered by their barangay captain to clear off all campaign materials, tarpaulins and banners despite the official start of Campaigning imposed by COMELEC last January 13 in Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City on Jan. 17, 2019. (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN)
"We are monitoring these potential violations. We are keeping a record of them so that when we can enforce election laws, pagdating ng start ng campaign period for national candidates, then we will certainly do so," said Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez in a media briefing.
The poll official made the remark after they received reports of election hopefuls putting up tarpaulins and billboards bearing their faces; and that the national government helpline 8888 is allegedly being used to promote election candidates.
"Hindi lang din iyan ang nakikita natin. Madami tayong images na nakikita na nagdidistribute ng insurance cards. There have also been reports of people trying to leverage the 'Pantawid Pamilya' Program. Beneficiaries from the CCT (Conditional Cash Transfer) are being marketed as a campaign promise in some areas," said Jimenez.
"We are keeping track of these complaints. Again, we can do very little about that because technically these people are not official candidates yet. But the minute the campaign period starts, that is when we will begin our interventions for these things if intervention is required," he added.
To note, the campaign period for senators and party-list groups will start on February 12; while for local candidates will be on March 29. The campaign period will be until May 11.
Meanwhile, when asked when the Comelec will release the official list of candidates, the poll official said that they are still uncertain.
"It will come out when it comes out. But we hope that it comes out next week," said Jimenez.