Comelec urges gov’t: Hold accountable brains behind BBM ‘emergency alert’

FILE PHOTO: Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez. INQUIRER.net/Ryan Leagogo

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Wednesday that those behind the “emergency alert” pushing for the presidential candidacy of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. which buzzed during the filing certificate of candidacy (COC) should be held accountable.

Mobile phones suddenly blared at the COC filing venue for national candidates in Pasay City on Wednesday – but not an alert for a quake or heavy downpour as it was a call advertising the presidential bid of Marcos, who filed his COC for president on the same day.

“Whoever did this, has to be held accountable. This is a reprehensible strategy, and it should not be replicated by anyone,” said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez.

“And I hope that the relevant agencies will move heaven and earth to find out who did this and hold them to account,” he added.

READ: Phones go off with emergency alerts as Marcos Jr. files COC

Jimenez reiterated that while the use of the emergency alert is not a violation of electoral laws, using it for political propaganda is a “reprehensible tactic” and is “unreservedly wrong.”

“I am [also] convinced that it is a violation of some law because it is done on an emergency alert system and an emergency alert system, I would suppose, operates under guidelines that would prevent its use or prohibit its use for non-emergency situations,” he pointe out.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) already clarified that it had nothing to do with the said alerts.

It said it has already reached out to its telco partners, which also said they knew nothing about the said “emergency alert” for Marcos.

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