CALAMBA CITY,
Laguna (PIA) – The Commission on Elections
(COMELEC) Region IV-A
has warned all barangay
and Sangguniang Kabataan aspirants against
premature campaigning
after filing their Certificate
of Candidacy (COC) from
August 28 to September 2,
2023.
“Premature campaigning is prohibited,
which means that once an
aspirant files their COC,
they are considered a candidate and the prohibition
on premature campaigning will take effect,” said
lawyer Margaret Joyce M.
Reyes-Cortez, COMELEC
Assistant Regional Executive Director in Calabarzon.
Under the Omnibus Election Code (OEC),
it is unlawful for any candidate, prospective candidate, party, or association
of persons to engage in an
election campaign or partisan political activity except
during the campaign period.
“After filing the
COC, engaging in electioneering is strictly prohibited under Section 80
of the Omnibus Election
Code,” Cortez said last
Thursday during the Sulong Calabarzon program
hosted by the Philippine
Information Agency IV-A.
Based on its
data as of August 29, the
COMELEC has received
35,528 COCs for barangay positions while 23,928
COCs have been filed for
SK positions in the entire
region.
Cortez said
COMELEC will treat premature campaigning as an
election offense and any
candidate who disregards
this will be held liable for
election code violations.
“They must ensure that after filing the
COC, they remove their
campaign materials, otherwise, they may be held
liable for premature campaigning,” she added.
All candidates
are prohibited to promote their advocacies on
various platforms, hang
posters on streets, or produce other election campaign-related materials
from September 3 to October 18, 2023.
“We can file a
verified complaint with the
COMELEC law department against candidates
who violate the prohibition
on premature campaigning,” Cortez said.
She added those
who file a verified com- plaint against candidates
proven to be violating the
law should also provide
proof or evidence along
with their complaint.
Election campaign period for the 2023
Barangay and Sangguni- ang Kabataan elections
will run from October 19 to
October 28 only. (CO/PIA4A)
