Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia has warned candidates that by showing up or displaying campaign materials in areas where government aid is being distributed, they can be disqualified and the social workers or officials that allowed them slapped with administrative charges.
“That is abuse of state resources. The money is not theirs. That is not from a private fund, yet they will make it appear that they are the reason why there is a distribution,” Garcia said.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, the release, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds is prohibited 45 days before a regular election, unless authorized by the Comelec.
The Comelec on Wednesday announced that various social services programs of the government, including the controversial Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program or AKAP of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), have been allowed exemption from the spending ban during the campaign period.
However, the poll body specifically mandated that politicians or candidates are strictly prohibited from attending any form of aid distribution. This would include having streamers or posters of the candidates in the payout sites.
“When we say presence during distribution, that means no indication of politics, that it will not be used for politics. That is clear, not just physical presence,” Garcia said as he also urged the public to report violations.
He added that implementing bodies may lose their exemption if they fail to strictly follow the conditions set by the poll body. Officials and even employees of those agencies may also face administrative cases.
Garcia said he recommended to Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian that they invite local Comelec officials during the distributions.
Politicians taking advantage of election law loopholes and government funds to promote themselves and gain an unfair advantage have been a scourge on Philippine elections since time immemorial, probably because they have seen how inutile the Comelec has been.
May this warning from the sitting commissioner be the beginning of a better regime where the Comelec doesn’t only hold the elections, but also goes the extra mile by showing its teeth as it strives to provide a level playing field.
So Filipinos have a better chance of putting leaders that deserve it into positions where we face the possibility of positive change, rather than being stuck with the usual traditional politicians and dynasties whose bag of dirty tricks the Comelec knows all about but has been turning a blind eye to for decades.*
