Comelec to meet with Anti-Epal group

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold an open dialogue with the Anti-Epal Movement on Monday to discuss matters regarding premature campaigning.

“This dialogue aims to provide an avenue for a free and open discussion regarding premature campaigning among stakeholders and to seek immediate and long-term solutions to this problem,” Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said.

Brillantes believes that since the Comelec has been rendered powerless against premature campaigning, then the group could come in and fill in the void left vacant by legal issues.

“I think they can help us in terms of telling the truth to the public regarding premature campaigning acts. That is all they do, tell the truth and it stars to become effective,” he said.

The dialogue will be held at the Comelec former head office in Intramuros, Manila.

Brillantes said some politicians not only in Metro Manila but also in other provinces are starting to take down their posters after the anti-Epal campaign was launched.

Section 13 of the Poll Automation Law provides that “a person shall only be considered as a candidate at the start of the campaign period for which he filed his certificate of candidacy.”

And this was affirmed by the 2009 Supreme Court ruling of Penera vs Comelec, which concretized the removal of premature campaigning as an election offense.

Brillantes reiterated his position that what the politicians are doing is wrong, though it may not be illegal at all.

“They are taking advantage of the lack of a law that will prohibit it,” he said. (HDT/Sunnex)