Reminders for voters, candidates this campaign season

DEPUTY Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar said that as the campaign period starts, the administration wishes all the candidates good luck and God speed.

Olivar asked the candidates especially the Lakas-Kampi slate to “conduct themselves with dignity and decorum.”

He said individuals seeking government posts should prove themselves worthy of the trust the people will give them.

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“We ask the voters to be thoughtful and discerning,” he added.

The Palace official, at the same time, warned the voters to be prudent in choosing candidates and avoid those who made empty promises.

“Reject the mudslingers, empty promisers, class warriors, and hatemonger,” he said.

Instead, Olivar said voters should support candidates who focus on platform, performance, character, and leadership.

“We ask everyone to work together for a clean and peaceful elections with hopeful hearts, a positive spirit and the will to prove ourselves worthy once again of our democratic freedom so dearly won,” he said.

Follow rules on campaigning

A Catholic prelate, meanwhile, reminded candidates to strictly follow the rules on campaigning, otherwise they have no right to join the electoral race.

Caloocan bishop Deogracias Iniguez said that candidates, particularly those who are running for national positions, are lawmakers and have knowledge on laws specifically on the rules and regulations of campaign.

“They should know the law and should follow it. If they cannot abide to it, the people should not consider to vote or elect them,” he said, adding that it is a way for the voters to know their candidates.

At the same time, he urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to strictly implement the policies on campaigning since its part of their responsibility at the moment.

“They should file a case against any violator,” said the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Public Affairs head.

But he expressed disappointment over the lack of enforcement in implementing the law. “All (violators) must be sued… our problem is we have a law, but we don’t have enforcement.”

He noted that it is not the Comelec that should be vigilant in guarding the activities related to the elections but also the citizenry.

The Catholic bishop urged the poll body to do all its best so that the automated polls will be credible, transport and honest elections.

Motorcades, political demonstrations

With the start of the official campaign season, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) called on the political parties and candidates to coordinate with the agency’s Traffic Operations Center (TOC) before conducting motorcades and other political demonstrations along Edsa and other major roads in Metro Manila.

MMDA Chairman Oscar Inocentes reminded the political parties to strictly observe traffic rules and regulations so as not to cause traffic problems and result to the inconvenience of the motoring public.

“It is well within their right to conduct their campaign activities but if these will bring about chaos in the streets, we will go after them and held them liable. They should inform the MMDA of any of their activities that involve the use of major thoroughfares,” Inocentes said.

The MMDA chief said the Metro Manila Council (MMC), composed of the 17 mayors in Metro Manila, has an ordinance passed a few years ago prohibiting motorcades or parades on Edsa and other major roads that have not been cleared and coordinated with the MMDA.

MMC is the policy-making body of the MMDA.

Inocentes further explained that prior coordination with the MMDA is vital so that the agency could prepare traffic contingency measures and make the necessary adjustments in the deployment of traffic personnel.

He said the MMDA wants to avoid a situation where two or more groups stage their political activities in the same area at a time, effectively blocking traffic. “This policy covers all local and national political organizations. We will have no exemption. If they will not comply with the requirements, we will not allow them to hold their campaign activities anywhere.”

Organizations conducting political campaigns shall submit to the MMDA the date and time of their motorcades/parades, number of participating vehicles and the expected routes and traffic plans, if any.

Violence escalation

For its part, poll watchdog Bantay Eleksyon warned of violence escalation as campaigns for the national position officially kicked off Tuesday and for local to begin next month.

In a report, Bantay Eleksyon said they expect heightened violence as politicians resort to intimidation and harassment to cheat in the 2010 automated elections.

From January 2009 up to present, a total of 93 election-related killings occurred all over the country.

Of the figure, 57 were victims of the November massacre in Maguindanao allegedly masterminded by the Ampatuan clan.

“Nevertheless, even before the Maguindanao Massacre stunned the nation and the world, particularly those in the mass media, there is already a spate of violence unassumingly creeping across the provinces. Most of the victims are either leaders/ supporters of candidates or are candidates themselves,” Bantay Eleksyon said in its report released Tuesday.

Ramon Casiple, convener of Bantay Eleksyon, said that since local officials do not have the means and the capabilities to cheat the automated elections system, “they would try to manipulate factors outside the system – the voters – to put them at an advantage during the May 10 polls.”

“There will be more vote buying and vote denial operations. It is possible that the killings would increase,” he added.

Bantay Eleksyon also called on the Comelec and law enforcement officials to intensify its campaign against private armed groups controlled by local kingpins to harass their opponents and the voters.

“To effectively do this, the PNP and the AFP should start cleaning its own backyard by replacing commanders or head officers assigned to areas considered Election Watchlist Areas,” the group said.

It also noted for the Comelec to “pro-actively promote” peace compacts in election hotspots.

“Election contenders should be required to sign a compact vowing not to resort to violent means in seeking public office in their respective areas,” the group said. (Jill Beltran/FP/AH/MSN/Sunnex)