By Brian Campued
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday reminded candidates for the 2025 national and local elections to refrain from campaigning on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
According to Comelec Resolution No. 10999, election campaigning or any partisan political activity during said dates are strictly prohibited and violating the prohibition may be considered an election offense punishable under Sections 263 and 264 of the Omnibus Election Code.
“Bawal ang pangangampanya sa [mga] Mahal na Araw, lalo na po ang Huwebes Santo at Biyernes Santo,” Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said in an interview.
Garcia also urged candidates to desist from offering food and drinks after the “Pabasa” or the traditional Reading of the Passion during Holy Week.
“Ang style ng iba nagpa-Pabasa, nagpapakain sa mga Pabasa—baka po puwede pong iwasan na lang po natin ’yon kasi iyan po ay mako-consider na pangangampanya pa rin. Irespeto po sana natin ang napaka-solemn na religious activity,” the Comelec chief said.
The poll body has set the campaign period for senators and party-list groups from Feb. 11–May 10, while local candidates are allowed to campaign from March 28–May 10.
Candidates are also not allowed to campaign on the eve of election day (May 11) and on the election day itself (May 12), Comelec reiterated.
‘Encrypted script’
Garcia, meanwhile, assured overseas voters that their votes were correctly given to the candidates they chose—disputing allegations that online ballots showed different names.
According to Garcia, Comelec employed a security feature to prevent the ballot receipt from being used in vote-buying and -selling.
“’Yong nakita po niya iyon po yung ballot face, pag pinindot mo ’yong QR code lalabas ngayon ’yong mismong ballot ID at saka ’yong encrypted na script… doon kasi sa script, minsan may nakalagay na pangalan ng isang kandidato, minsan ganyan, pero hindi po nangangahulugan na iyon po ang binoto nila,” he said.
Registered Filipino voters abroad may enroll their electronic devices for the overseas internet voting until May 7, according to the poll body. (with report from Louisa Erispe)
-iro
