Comelec: No campaign extension in areas where polls are postponed

There will be no extension of the campaign period in areas where the Oct. 25 barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections will be postponed. In a radio interview Thursday, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal stressed the rules allow candidates to campaign only for 30 days, or until this Saturday. "It has to be in 30 days. Ang campaign (period) has to be maintained, hindi pwedeng tuluy-tuloy na kampanya yan (All candidates get only 30 days to campaign. The campaign period has to be observed. You cannot campaign during the delay)," Larrazabal said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said the last day of campaigning will be Saturday, Oct. 23. On Sunday, Oct. 24, he said a campaign and liquor ban will be in place before the voting on Oct. 25.

The Comelec on Wednesday said the grassroots polls in three Isabela towns severely hit by Typhoon Juan will be postponed. (See: Barangay polls postponed in 3 Isabela towns due to 'Juan') Comelec chairman Jose Melo said polls in the coastal towns of Divilacan, Palanan, and Maconacon will be rescheduled to next month. Meanwhile, the Department of Education ordered the opening of the election task force operations center to monitor the situation in the field. — RSJ, GMANews.TV