The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Sunday warned Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) candidates against using vulgar, offensive and gender-insensitive campaign jingles, saying they may face disqualification cases.
“It may sound funny or maybe this is their way of catching the attention of the public or the voters. But we must always be gender-sensitive. We should know what we use is not offensive to any gender. This is a warning and they should stop playing those jingles,” said Comelec Chair George Garcia in a radio interview.
“We are aware of some candidates who are not gender-sensitive. They use jingles that are not good for the ears and eyes of young people and children,” he added. He mentioned a candidate in Nueva Ecija who apparently uses an offensive campaign jingle.
Disqualification
Garcia said a disqualification case will be filed against this candidate if the jingle is not taken down within the week.
Under Comelec guidelines, campaign or propaganda materials that violate gender sensitivity principles, or are obscene, discriminatory, or offensive, are deemed as prohibited.
Garcia also urged the public to report the use of similar campaign jingles to Comelec.
He added candidates should refrain from pointing fingers at their supporters or campaign personnel over unlawful campaign materials as he cited the principle of “command responsibility.”
Garcia urged candidates to educate their supporters and campaign personnel regarding the existing Comelec guidelines.
“Those in their ‘Oplan Kabit’ operations must be trained, briefed because they are not fully aware on where they should and should not put posters,” he said.
Last week, the Comelec launched its nationwide “Operation Baklas,” wherein unlawful campaign materials were immediately taken down.
The commission has also issued 341 show-cause orders to BSKE candidates found illegally campaigning.
To help Comelec, the Department of Education will establish its election task force and operation and monitoring center for election day, Oct. 30. In a memorandum dated Oct. 18, Education Undersecretary Michael Poa said the DepEd’s election task force will join the command center of the Comelec starting Oct. 29, 1 p.m. to Oct. 30, 5 p.m. INQ