Allow bets to help during calamities, Pacquiao asks Comelec

FILE PHOTO: Senator Manny Pacquiao hands a P1,000-bill to Carlito Pio, who accompanied his wife, a polio victim, to meet him in Bayugan City on Tuesday, November 30, 2021. Photo by Chris V. Panganiban

MANILA, Philippines — Allow candidates to help during calamities, presidential bet and Senator Manny Pacquiao said Thursday.

In an ambush interview in Abuyog, Leyte, Pacquiao was asked if he attempted to ask permission from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to let him give aid to landslide victims in the province.

“Dapat tulungan nila, ‘pag may ganyang mga sakuna, ‘yung mga kandidato, tutulong, papayagan na nilang tumulong na kasi hindi naman normal ‘yan. Kumabaga, hindi naman palagi ‘yan ‘yung mga calamity na ‘yan at mga naapektuhan ng landslide,” he said.

(They should help, when there are calamities, the candidates should be allowed to help because that is not normal. It is not all the time when calamities like landslides hit.)

“Kaya nga ako nagre-request sa Comelec, nananawagan,” he added.

(That is why I am requesting, appealing to Comelec.)

According to the Comelec, candidates cannot give anything of value to people to encourage them to vote during the election period.

Giving free money for the purpose of soliciting votes is vote-buying, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez earlier said.

READ: Reports of giving money during campaign to be referred to local Comelec execs — Jimenez

Likewise, public officials or employees are prohibited to release, disburse, or spend public funds from March 25 to May 8. Election Day was set for May 9.

The campaign period for this year’s polls started on February 8 for national candidates and on March 25 for local candidates.

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