Año: Candidates, supporters risk arrest for campaign violations

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Sunday that candidates and their political supporters risk being arrested if they violate campaign rules. 

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Año said one of the tasks of the security forces deployed for the elections is to ensure that no election campaigning should be conducted starting May 8, Sunday.

“‘Sisiguraduhin namin na mula ngayon hanggang bukas, wala na ‘yung mga nangangampanya, namimigay ng mga polyetos. Even ‘yung liquor ban, meron tayo starting today. Lahat ‘yan ipatutupad ng ating kapulisan at hindi mamimili na mag-aresto ang ating pulis kapag may violators,” he said.

“Winawarningan na natin tapos na 'yung pangangampanya starting today,” he stressed.

(We will make sure that there will be no campaigning or handing out of pamphlets starting today until tomorrow. Even the liquor ban will be implemented starting today. Prohibited activities will be enforced by the police without fear or favor. The campaign period is over.) 

Section 3 of Commission on Election (Comelec) Resolution Number 10730 states that, “it is unlawful for any person or for any political party, or association of persons to engage in an election campaign or partisan political activity on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the eve of election day, and on Election Day.”

Also, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief warned those who would be caught buying votes during the conduct of the polls, saying they will be arrested for doing so.

“‘Yung mamimili ng boto, talagang diretso huli na ‘yan dahil meron tayong Task Force Kontra Bigay at may nakatalaga tayong pulis at PNP unit na nagsasagawa against vote buying,” he said.

(Those who will be caught buying votes will be arrested immediately because we have a Task Force against Vote Buying and we have assigned personnel who will work on that.)

The Task Force Kontra Bigay, led by Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, is composed of several agencies, including the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Information Agency.

It is expected to act motu proprio, as well as on formal complaints involving vote-buying. —LBG, GMA news