THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded those for and against the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) that their respective pushes should and must end on Saturday, January 19.
The campaign period for the Bangsamoro plebiscite is set to end on Saturday, with campaigning already prohibited come Sunday, January 20, the eve of the referendum.
“It will already be a prohibited activity by Sunday to promote whether you're on one side or the other,” said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez in a media conference.
“Campaigning and rallies? These are already prohibited after Saturday,” he added.
But he said they will not prevent any individual or organization from disseminating information on the forthcoming referendum.
“I don't think we can prevent anybody from educating others,” he said.
Asked whether the end of the campaign period will also apply in areas holding the plebiscite on February 6, Jimenez answered in the negative.
“The end of the campaign period is counted from Election Day. Therefore, the end of the campaign period for January 21 plebiscite would not be the same as the end of campaign period for February 6,” he said.
As decided by the commission, the plebiscite in the geographical areas comprising the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (Armm), as well as Isabela City in Basilan and Cotabato City will be on January 21.
The plebiscite for the province of Lanao del Norte, except Iligan City; the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pikit, and Pigkawayan in the province of North Cotabato; and the 28 areas contiguous to any of the Bangsamoro core areas, where either the local government of such area, by way of a resolution; or at least 10 percent of the registered voters in a local government unit, by way of a petition, asked for inclusion in the plebiscite, will be done on February 6. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)