• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Commission on Elections has issued 44 additional show cause orders to Negrense candidates in the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 30, for alleged premature campaigning.
This was confirmed yesterday by Provincial Comelec supervisor Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria, who also disclosed that they have already started to serve the show cause orders to the candidates in the different towns and cities of Negros Occidental.
Records of the provincial Comelec office showed that of the new 44 recipients, EB Magalona has the greatest number of barangays issued with show cause orders at 23, while eight each were issued to the cities of Bacolod and Himamaylan, two in Bago City, and one each in the cities of Sipalay and Kabankalan.
These are in addition to three show cause orders issued earlier by Comelec to candidates in cities of La Carlota, Bacolod and Sipalay.
Ananoria said the respondents are given 24 hours to answer the show cause orders before the Anti EPAL task force, which has the evidence of the complainants against them.
Comelec said premature campaigning would be treated as an election offense, and a candidate who disregards it would be liable for election code violations.
Ananoria reminded again the BSKE 2023 candidates to do away the premature campaigning, and wait for October 19 to 28 official campaign period. “We can do all the campaigning we want legally, as prescribed by the Comelec,” he stressed.
He expects more show cause orders to be issued by Comelec, anticipating retaliation.*
