'Run, Sara, Run' banners nuisance but non-electoral offense —Comelec

While the “Run, Sara, Run” banners scattered across Davao City urging the President's daughter to run in 2022 may be an irritant, but putting up such streamers  for now doesn't constitute an electoral offense, the poll body said Friday.

“Technically speaking walang paglabag ‘yan kasi wala pang official candidate eh… Hindi pa namin puwede pakialaman kasi hindi naman election offense. Pero puwedeng-puwedeng pakialaman ‘yan ng local government units. It’s well within their power,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez told Super Radyo dzBB.

“Hindi puwedeng iaasa lahat sa Comelec, sabihin, ‘Ay wala namang pinagbabawal ang Comelec.’ Pero may ordinansa kasi na bawal ang nuisance. E nuisance ‘yan e,” he said.

Jimenez also pointed out that the banners, tied to the railing of footbridges by straw and sometimes held down by rocks, pose a threat to public safety.

“Ang problema, ang hindi naaalala po ay meron silang violation pagdating doon sa mga pinagkakabitan nila… Bakit ka maglalagay ng tarpaulin sa may overpass na puwedeng mahulog at maaksidente ‘yung mga tao?” he said.

Davao mayor Sara is being urged to run by her supporters who also distributed calendars bearing her face in Quezon City. 

Duterte has repeatedly insisted that she has no plans to run for the presidency next year despite topping a poll conducted by the OCTA Research group. 

She has also appealed to her supporters to stop campaigning for her. 

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive said that he told his daughter not to run because the presidency is “not for a woman.”

Although, the Philippines has had two female presidents: Corazon Aquino from 1986 to 1992 and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2001 to 2010.

Women leaders like Germany’s Angela Merkel, New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern, and Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-Wen have also been lauded for some of most successful national responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, Vice President Leni Robredo’s supporters in the provinces of Iloilo and Cebu have also encouraged her to run for the presidency as she was conducting a feeding program in these areas. —LBG, GMA News