Senate panel OKs bill amending rule on premature campaigning

The Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation has approved a bill seeking to amend the definition of an election candidate and premature campaigning.

Senate Bill 2064 aims to ban candidates from premature campaigning from the time he files his certificate of candidacy (COC).

Under the bill, a person will be considered a candidate from the time he files his COC. This means that all unlawful acts that apply to a candidate, including premature campaigning, will apply to him immediately after submitting his COC to the Commission on Elections.

The current law only defines a person as a candidate when the campaign period starts.

The same bill also states that anyone holding a government position, including active members of the Armed Forces, shall be deemed resigned and must vacate his post immediately after filing his candidacy.

Senate Bill 2064 will replace Senate Bill 100 filed by Senator Richard Gordon and Senate Bill 1893 filed by Senator Leila de Lima.

The committee report will next go through deliberations at the plenary.