Comelec welcomes DepEd plan to ban candidates from grad exercises

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson welcomes the plan of the Department of Education (DepEd) to ban candidates from speaking during graduation ceremonies.

"That’s a very good development," James Jimenez said.

Jimenez told GMA News that it cannot prohibit private schools from inviting candidates as their guests of honor during graduation rites.

But as for public schools, “napakapangit pong tingnan. Magiging inevitable na sasabihin na ginagamit ang resources ng gobyerno para sa kampanya ng iilan,” Jimenez said.

As for medal donations from candidates, “naiintindihan natin na bahagi yan ng mga commitment ng mga pulitiko even before the start of the campaign period... Kailangan small value lang ang dino-donate,” Jimenez stressed.

Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said DepEd will consider prohibiting candidates in the 2019 midterm elections from speaking in graduation rites during the campaign period.

He made the remark on Sunday after Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez called on schools not to invite candidates in their graduation rites.

In an interview, Malaluan said the DepEd's election guidelines do not disallow candidates to speak in graduation ceremonies, they would discussthe issue.

What their guidelines prohibit, he pointed out, is turning the graduation rite as a political forum or platform. — BAP, GMA News