Comelec still powerless vs premature campaigning

MANILA, Philippines — Powerless against premature campaigning, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is not likely to go after violators in next year’s elections since Congress will not be passing a new law to give more teeth to enforcement.

“Premature campaigning loopholes are really a tough one to plug,” said Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon yesterday. “Realistically, any legislation to be pushed now will not have enough time to make it in time for the 2022 elections.”

This was the legislator’s response to a query from Comelec spokesman James Jimenez on the chances of passing a law enabling the poll body to stop the perennial problem of premature campaigning.

Biazon noted that a person cannot be charged with premature campaigning if he or she has not officially filed a certificate of candidacy (COC) because until then, the individual is not considered a candidate.

The only way to stop premature campaigning, Biazon said, is to move the filing of candidacy much earlier, which the Comelec is not predisposed to do.

Under existing rules, the commission has no police power to prevent potential candidates from engaging in premature campaigning so it has long been pushing for legislative relief.

The problem, Jimenez said, is that measures against premature campaigning have never been a priority by both houses of Congress.

He said people who have expressed intentions whether in action or words to run to run for an elective post in May 2022 have the moral obligation to refrain from premature campaigning as well as early campaign spending.