The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Task Force “Anti-Epal” filed disqualification (DQ) petitions against 35 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) candidates on Friday.
The decision to disqualify erring candidates will be released before the Oct. 30 BSKE.
“Comelec is serious in implementing election laws. This is the start. Rest assured that more will be charged next week,” Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in an interview.
Earlier, the Comelec said about 199 possible DQ charges may be filed. The monitoring will continue during the campaign period on Oct. 19 to 28 for other possible violations.
Considerable grounds for illegal campaigning include wrong-sized leaflets, flyers, posters, tarpaulins and banners.
Under the election guidelines, allowable sizes include leaflets or flyers not bigger than 8.5 by 14 inches; posters or tarpaulins not exceeding two by three feet, and banners or streamers not bigger than three by eight feet.
Distribution of campaign giveaways like t-shirts, caps, baller bands, and other materials that have value shall also fall under vote-buying, as cited in Section 261 (Prohibited Acts) of the Omnibus Election Code.
Laudiangco said the Comelec is serious in enforcing all these measures which will not only disqualify candidates but also put them in prison if found liable for criminal or election offense charges.
He expressed commitment to ensuring a whole-of-government approach for the BSKE polls, citing a scheduled memorandum of agreement signing with the Public Attorney’s Office on Oct. 2.
On Thursday, it also secured a pact with the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to intensify the campaign against vote buying, vote-selling, and enhance monitoring in all areas nationwide.
The Comelec is likewise working closely with the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Department of Education, among others, for a safe, orderly, and credible BSKE.
