ILOILO City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reminded candidates and their supporters that the last day of the campaign period for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections is on Saturday, Oct. 28.
Starting Sunday, Oct. 29, until election day on Monday, Oct. 30, acts or any activities associated with campaigning are prohibited.
Anyone caught violating is committing an election offense and may face imprisonment of one to six years or disqualification from holding public office.
“Bawal na ang kampanya. Ginbawal para maka-settle man ang mga kandidato kay on the election day ang tawo maboto na, tapos sia makampanya pa,” Jonathan Sayno, Election Assistant II of the Iloilo City Comelec, told Panay News.
Acts that constitute campaigning, according to Sayno, are going house to house, hanging posters, giving out flyers, or conducting rallies or symposiums, among others.
For Sayno, the 10-day campaign period is enough for the candidates to introduce their platforms.
“Bawal na ang mga paghatag sang sample ballot ilabi na in front sang polling centers kay gina-confiscate naton kaupod sang pulis,” the election officer added.
Sayno said the concerned candidate can bring a sample ballot on election day, but only for personal use.
The campaign began on Oct. 19, and the city Comelec assessed that it has been peaceful so far, with only one barangay tagged as an area of concern — Monica-Blumentritt in City Proper district.
Sayno said, aside from these, election-related violations were mostly campaign materials placed in government structures not designated as common poster areas, electrical posts and trees, and those that violated the two-inch by three-inch size limits.
The Iloilo City Comelec led “Operation Baklas” on Wednesday afternoon in the densely populated barangays of Boulevard, Calumpang and San Juan in Molo district, and Calaparan and Santo Niño Norte in Arevalo district.
Around 100 illegal campaign materials were taken down and brought to the city Comelec office for safekeeping./PN
