Daily Express Subscriber
Sign in to your account.

MANILA: The government’s pandemic task force wants the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to impose sanctions and penalties against candidates and political parties that violate health protocols during the campaign period.

Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles, co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and acting Malacañang spokesman, said the Comelec has the mandate to go after erring parties and candidates who hold big campaign rallies that could turn into superspreader events.

“Because this is election-related and these are campaign activities, strictly speaking, the one with the jurisdiction there is the Comelec,” he said.

The IATF has warned against the holding of huge political rallies that could again trigger a surge in Covid-19 cases.

Concerns of another surge arose anew following the holding of proclamation rallies by candidates seeking national posts on Tuesday, the start of the campaign period.

Nograles said that all campaign activities fall under the watch of the Comelec.

“If there are violations with the guidelines and protocols including minimum public health standards guidelines, it is up to Comelec now to impose sanctions, punishment against the violators. The IATF’s jurisdiction would be over non-election-related activities,” the Palace official said.

The Comelec earlier released guidelines on campaigning which include the mandatory wearing of masks for all persons participating in election campaigns regardless of the venue and alert level in the area where the event was held. Candidates were also barred from entering houses, kissing and hugging voters. Handshakes and taking selfies were also discouraged.

Organisers of in-person campaigns, rallies and caravans are required to secure permits from the Comelec.

In response to the guidelines issued by the Comelec, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said he and running mate Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto 3rd intend to run a “very disciplined campaign” to avoid turning their rallies into superspreader events.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd has warned that campaign activities could fuel another Covid spike.

Lacson and Sotto kicked off their campaign in Imus Arena in Cavite on Tuesday.

Lacson said he and Sotto “agreed to abide by the alert level protocols being imposed by the LGU (local government unit) authorities that we will visit like the kickoff campaign rally that we held in Imus, Cavite Tuesday.”

“Even during the Mass that we attended just before the rally, we maintained the four per bench or pew policy of Bishop [Reynaldo] Evangelista who officiated the Mass,” he added. “That’s why we are limiting our audience also.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said that Tuesday’s campaign activities were generally peaceful but health protocols were violated.

PNP spokesman Col. Jean Fajardo said that they noticed that some of those who attended the proclamation rallies violated the physical distancing protocol.

She admitted that the enforcement of health protocols in campaign rallies is a big challenge.

She said that the PNP will exercise maximum tolerance in enforcing health measures during campaigns and rallies.