Elections ban on firearms, bodyguards start Sept. 25
The Commission on Elections 6 has announced the prohibitions during the election period leading to the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls on October 25.
Elections Regional Director Dennis Ausan said that during the election period, from September 25 to November 10, several prohibited acts under the Omnibus Election Code should be followed especially by those running for various positions.
The filing of candidacy will be on October 1 to 13 while the campaign period will start on October 14 and will end two days before the election day.
Ausan emphasized the strict implementation of the gun ban, liquor ban, and the prohibition of transfer and detail of employees and officials under the Civil Service Commission.
Starting September 25 until the end of election period, banned are carrying of firearms and other deadly weapons and the use of security personnel or bodyguards by candidates.
From October 24 until election day, prohibited are the selling, furnishing, offering, buying, serving or taking of intoxicating liquor.
Ausan said that during the election period, premature campaign and vote-buying are very rampant thus, he is discouraging candidates from doing these illegal practices.
“Candidates should wait for the right time to campaign so that they will not be charged of early campaigning or so-called premature campaign,” he warned.
Ausan said barangay and SK officials are supposedly non-partisan or not connected to any political parties.
“They should remain apolitical,” he said.
Prohibited Acts
Other prohibited acts include the forming of organizations, associations, clubs, committees, or other groups of persons for the purpose of soliciting votes and/or undertaking any campaign for or against a candidate.
Political caucuses, conferences, meetings, rallies, parades, or other similar assemblies for the purpose of soliciting votes and/or undertaking any campaign or propaganda for or against a candidate are also banned.
Directly or indirectly soliciting votes, pledges or support for or against a candidate is also an act of election campaign violation.
During the campaign period, handwritten or printed letters not exceeding 8 ½ inches in width and 14 inches in length, and posters not exceeding two by three feet may be put up in common areas in the barangays designated by election officers.
According to a COMELEC resolution, “it is illegal to remove, destroy, obliterate, or in any manner deface or tamper with, or prevent the distribution of lawful election propaganda.”
Among others, “it is illegal for any person to give or accept, free of charge, directly or indirectly, transportation, food or drinks or things of value during the five hours before and after a barangay assembly meeting or other authorized public forum, on the day preceding the election and on election day; or to give or contribute, directly or indirectly, money or things of value for such purpose.”
Up until election day, it would be illegal to hold dances, lotteries, cockfights, beauty contests and related events for fund-raising in support of any candidate.
The direct or indirect solicitation and acceptance from any candidate or from his campaign manager, agent or representative, of gift, food, transportation, contribution, or donation in cash are also disallowed.
But the COMELEC clarified that “customary religious stipends, tithes, or collections on Sunday and/or other designated collection days are excluded from this prohibition.”
A candidate is not allowed to spend for his election campaign more than P3 per person in the barangays where he or she seeks elections.
Within 10 days after the election, a candidate must file his statement of expenses with the local elections officer.*
