Comelec to unseat bets found violating campaign rules

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday warned that winners in this year’s elections will not be able to assume their posts if they violated campaign rules.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said the poll body would not hesitate to unseat politicians who violate campaign and other election laws.

Brillantes said campaign regulation violators, including party-list groups, can be charged with election offense.

“Yes, they can be unseated. Why not? Under the rules of disqualification, even after the elections, disqualifications can still be applied,” Brillantes said.

The Comelec Law Department is getting ready to file election offense cases against Piston Land Transportation Coalition, Inc. (Piston) and Kabataan party-lists after they failed to heed the notices to remove unlawful propaganda materials.

Under Comelec Resolution 9615, parties and candidates may post campaign materials only in designated common poster areas in public places and in private places with consent of the owner.

Violators could face one to six years imprisonment, removal of right to vote, and prohibition to occupy public office.

Comelec said it would cancel the registration of a party-list group if “it violates or fails to comply with laws, rules or regulations relating to elections.”

Brillantes though admitted that election offenses are considered criminal cases and would thus go through a long and tedious process.

Aside from Kabataan and Piston, the party-list organizations that received notices from the Comelec include Buhay Hayaang Yumabong (Buhay); LPG Marketers Association; Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta; 1 Joint Alliance of Marginalized Group; Sanlakas; Anak Mindanao; Anakpawis; and Magdalo.

Senatorial candidates Risa Hontiveros; Rep. Teddy Casiño; Rep. Sonny Angara; Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV; Edward Hagedorn; Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr.; Juan Miguel Zubiri; Nancy Binay; Sen. Koko Pimentel; Sen. Francis Escudero; Jamby Madrigal; and Benigno Paolo “Bam” Aquino also received notices from the Comelec.

The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), on the other hand, criticized Comelec for allegedly harassing progressive groups while allowing pro-administration bets to violate election rules.

“The Comelec is harassing progressive party-lists who are enjoying growing support from the public for their advocacies. It clearly wants pro-administration candidates to dominate the 2013 elections,” KMU chairman Elmer Labog said.

Labog said the Comelec has allowed traditional politicians to run thinly disguised ads on television even before the campaign period.

“Now, it is going after marginalized groups who do not have huge resources to run television ads and only have posters as campaign materials,” he added.

Labog said the Comelec even defended President Aquino for distributing PhilHealth cards in the sorties of the administration’s senatorial candidates.