Comelec warns Barangay, SK bets of premature campaigning

Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia. Senate PRIB file photo / Bibo Nueva España

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Election (Comelec) has warned candidates of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSK) polls that promoting their advocacies and hanging posters ahead of the campaign period on October 19 would be considered premature campaigning.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia stressed that the campaign period for candidates of village and youth council polls starts from October 19 until 29 and not immediately after the candidacy filing from August 28 to September 2.

“Pag file niyo ng candidacy lahat ng posters na meron kayo na naglipana sa kalye kanto dapat tanggalin, kasi kakasuhan namin kayo at the same time tatanggalin namin yan at pwede rin kayo ma disqualify,” Garcia said the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday.

(When you file your candidacy, all the posters you have on the streets should be removed because we will sue you and we will remove them, and you can also be disqualified.)

“Lahat ng nag file ng candidacy dahil kandidato na kayo bawal mamigay bawal umikot bawal mangampanya dahil kandidato na kayo applicable pa ang Section 80 ng Omnibus Election Code yung tinatawag na premature campaigning,” he added.

(Everyone who files a certificate of candidacy is not immediately allowed to hand out or campaign within his area. Now that you are a candidate, Section 80 of the Omnibus Election Code, or premature campaigning, already applies to you.)

According to Comelec, Section 80 says that “it shall be unlawful for any person, whether or not a voter or candidate, or for any party, or association of persons, to engage in an election campaign or partisan political activity except during the campaign period.”

Comelec earlier said premature campaigning would also be treated as an election offense, and a candidate who disregards this would be liable for election code violations.

RELATED STORIES:

SC declares law postponing Brgy, SK polls unconstitutional

SC asked to nullify law postponing 2022 Barangay and SK polls

JPV