Comelec: Premature campaigning not poll offense

Premature campaigning was not an election offense, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruled on Tuesday.

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said the commission en banc had decided that there’s no law against premature campaigning whether for manual or automated elections.

Election watchdog Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) said despite the Comelec ruling, candidates should still wait for the official start of the campaign period to woo voters.

Candidates, according to Lente executive director Rona Ann Caritos, “should not take advantage.” —Tina G. Santos