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Official Publication of the Philippine Information Agency Bicol Regional Office, in cooperation with the RIAC-REDIRAS - RDC Bicol



Tuesday, October 1, 2013

COMELEC reminds candidates, public on regulations as election period starts

BY: ANALIZA S. MACATANGAY

NAGA CITY, Oct. 1 (PIA) --- It’s all system go for the Commissions on Elections (Comelec) in preparation for the upcoming  barangay elections on October 28 with the the implemation of several measures  to ensure a clean, peaceful and honest barangay elections this October.

Comelec Camarines Sur spokesperson Alex Marpuri said during the FORUM@PIA held Friday here that the commission will strictly impose election-related prohibited acts, particularly on the policy on gun ban and premature campaigning.

He said that these offenses are among the misdemeanors being violated every election.

Marpuri said that the election period, which commenced Sept. 28 until Nov. this year, also carries along other rules and regulations which will govern a clean and orderly elections.

Aside from carrying firearms or deadly weapons, it is also prohibited to transfer and detail officers and employees in the civil service, much more terminate or remove them from office.  Civil servants or elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officers are also prohibited to be transferred or detailed in other offices. These rules are pursuant to COMELEC Resolution No. 8264.

Marpuri also cited common violations concerning the hanging or placement of election campaign paraphernalia.

“We are calling the attention of candidates and filers to specifically take note of the provisions that would fall under premature campaigning. We would strictly implement punishment for every election-related violation which would range from the disqualification of the candidate, imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than six (6) years, deprivation of the right to hold public office and termination of the right to suffrage,” he said.

While the recent elections were governed by Republic Act (RA) 9369 or the Election Automation Law wherein the candidate is considered as a candidate only at the start of the election campaign, the candidates during the barangay elections which will happen this October will be ruled by RA 7166 otherwise known as an Act providing for Synchronized national and local elections and electoral reforms.

Under the latter rule, candidates who files his Certificate of Candidacy is already considered as a candidate.

Other prohibitions during the campaign period include the posting and distribution  of illegal campaign materials, making any donation or gift in cash or in kind, construction or maintenance of provincial, city, municipal or barangay-funded roads and bridges, and related circumstances.

Candidates may start filing their COC on October 11 until October 17.  This is an amendment of a COMELEC resolution which sets the deadline from October 15 to 17 after realizing that the period is too short for probable candidates to file their COCs. Yet Marpuri reiterated that after 5 o’clock of October 17, the Commission will not grant any extension to late filers.

Meanwhile, for this year’s registration, COMELEC Camarines Sur recorded a total of 1,025,740 voters as compared to only 976,000 last May elections. (MAL/LSM- PIA5/Camarines Sur)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=861380528183#sthash.UMNmIGyx.dpuf

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