Behave yourselves, Comelec tells local candidates

"Umayos kayo (Behave yourselves)." This was the reminder of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as the campaign period for 49,996 local candidates vying for 17,928 kicked off on Friday, March 26. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said local candidates should remember to behave properly because they are the ones closest to the voters. "They deliver the most important services directly to their constituents. Therefore they have a bigger responsibility to obey the law," he said. He said that since they are now considered candidates, they are now covered by Comelec Resolution 8758. (See: Internet ads not restricted by new Comelec guidelines) The resolution requires that posters should not exceed 2 x 3 feet while streamers should not be more than 3 x 8 feet. It also requires candidates to put up their advertisements on common poster areas like plazas, markets, and barangay centers. Party-list groups and political parties are only allowed to construct 12 x 16 feet poster areas while independent candidates may only erect 4 x 6 feet poster areas or its equivalent. "The common poster rule, as simple as it may seem, is the law. If they violate it, then all they do is show contempt for the law," Jimenez said. But he admitted that the poll body expects some campaigners to do some last-minute postings. "It's going to be very difficult to keep track of them but we are trying," he said. Violation of Resolution 8758 is an election offense, which is punishable by one to six years imprisonment, disenfranchisement, and disqualifiation from holding public office. The spokesman said he wishes that candidates who violate Comelec’s campaign rules end up losing. "My greatest hope for this election is that those who violate this law lose the elections. Sana matalo kayo lahat (I hope you all lose)," he said. Comelec Law Department head Ferdinand Rafanan shared the sentiments of Jimenez. He said that he is happy that the aspirants are now considered as candidates because the poll body will finally be able to regulate their activities. "I call the period between the filing of the certificates of candidacy (COC) and the start of the campaign period a state of lawlessness," he said. The filing of COCs ran from November 20 until December 1, 2009. But the campaign period for local candidates only began March 26, giving local bets almost four months of free campaign time. "They cannot violate anything before the start of the campaign period," said Rafanan, citing a Supreme Court ruling which basically abolished the concept of premature campaigning. This, said Jimenez, is the reason why they expect candidates to spend more for this election. He also added that Comelec is looking out for possible instances of election violence. "Ganun talaga palagi (It's always like that)," he said. On Thursday, the Philippine National Police placed all its forces nationwide on heightened alert in connection with the start of the campaign period for local positions. (See: PNP on heightened alert for local-level campaign) Rafanan, for his part, said he hopes that there would be less election violence this time because the elections would be automated. "Hindi maganda ang mag-expect ng masama (It won't do good to expect bad things)," he said. The campaign period for both local and national positions will end on May 8.—JV, GMANews.TV