Cabinet members allowed to campaign for candidates in 2019 polls, Comelec says

Cabinet officials, including Palace Communications chief Martin Andanar, are allowed to campaign for the Senate bets of the administration, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez made the position a day after Andanar represented former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go in a PDP-Laban campaign rally in San Juan City.

“Meron kasing ruling ‘yung CSC [in a joint circular with Comelec] na political officials, including Cabinet members, are given a lot of leeway in participating in partisan political activities,” Jimenez told reporters.

“So, pasok diyan si Secretary Andanar,” Jimenez added.

Jimenez was referring to the Joint Circular of Comelec and Civil Service Commission issued in March 2016 which states that the following persons are excluded from the coverage of the prohibition against engaging in any electioneering or partisan political activities, for as long as they do not solicit contributions from their subordinates or subject  them to  any  of the acts prohibited  in the Omnibus Election  Code:

•       President
•       Vice President
•       members of the Cabinet
•       other elective public officials except barangay officials and
•       personal and confidential staff of the abovementioned officials

Andanar made a little over one minute of speech campaigning for Go, saying that Go’s election to the Senate would mean establishment of additional Malasakit centers which serves as a one stop shop for citizens seeking government assistance for social services.

Andanar also pitched for Go by saying that Go’s caring nature was crucial in making President Rodrigo Duterte sign landmark bills into laws like the expanded 105-day paid maternity leave and universal health care measures which were enacted into law this week.

“I represented him as a friend,” Andanar told reporters as to why he represented Go in the said campaign rally.

The same Joint Circular issued by the Comelec and the Civil Service Commission defines partisan political activities as:

• forming organizations, associations, clubs, committees, or other groups of persons for the purpose of soliciting vote and/or undertaking any campaign for or against a candidate/party;
• making speeches, announcements, commentaries, holding interviews for or against the election of any candidate or party for public office;
• publishing, displaying or distributing campaign literature or materials designed to support or oppose the election of any candidate or party; and
• directly or indirectly soliciting votes, pledges, support for or against any candidate or party.

— RSJ, GMA News