ASIDE from the possibility of being disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from running in the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), candidates found liable for engaging in premature campaigning may soon find themselves facing criminal charges.
In an interview, Comelec Spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said those who will be found guilty of premature campaigning may also be filed election offense charges, which carries a penalty of imprisonment.
"If the decision really of the Division and the Commission en banc is to disqualify, most probably, we can also establish that it is an election offense because of the violation of Section 80 (of the Omnibus Election Code)," said Laudiangco.
"In the ruling, in its dispositive portion, there will likely be a directive to the Law Department to conduct a preliminary investigation. We will be determining if there is probable cause. And if there is, we will be filing the cases in the regional trial court. This will be a criminal case," he added.
Laudiangco explained that the would-be disqualification for the October 30 polls is only the administrative aspect of the offense.
On the other hand, he said the election offense case, which carries penalty of one to six years imprisonment, removal of right of suffrage, and perpetual disqualification to hold public office, will be for the criminal aspect.
"There will be two impacts: the administrative case, which is the disqualification, and criminal case, which is the election offense," said the poll official.
Laudiangco issued the statement after the Comelec-Task Force Anti-Epal filed Petitions for Disqualification against an initial 35 candidates in the BSKE.
The Petitions for Disqualification are grounded on violations of Section 80, which is premature campaigning or the act of campaigning done outside the campaign period.
Electioneering activities are still prohibited until October 18 as the BSKE campaign period will start only on October 19. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)