THE Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) yesterday scored local government officials and their political parties for allegedly using state resources to advance their chances in the May 2022 polls.
In a press conference in Manila, Lente Executive Director Atty. Ona Caritos said the use of state resources taints the integrity of the conduct of electoral exercises.
“Abuse of state resources is an overlooked form of political corruption in the Philippines, whereby candidates or political parties unduly utilize official powers and government resources to gain electoral advantage,” said Caritos.
“What distinguishes ASR from the other acts of corruption is its indispensable electoral component, wherein the acts are committed to gain an advantage, and even ensure victory in the elections. Aside from vote buying, ASR is one of the most impactful ways of compromising electoral integrity,” she added.
Caritos said ASR activities have different kinds, including abuse of financial resources, institutional resources, regulatory/legal resources, and coercive/enforcement resources.
In their 12-week monitoring activity, Lente said they were able to monitor abuses of institutional resources, such as the misuse of government vehicles to transport supporters to campaign sorties and to distribute campaign materials within the locality, as well as use of barangay halls and covered courts for campaign materials storage, including foods and beverages for supporters, tarpaulins, and posters.
Lente said it also observed abuse of financial resources in the form of campaigns veiled as distribution of social services, such as the distribution of ayuda by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and emergency employment provision by the Department of Labor and Employment.
Lente said cases of abuse of coercive resources also emerged during the height of the pandemic, wherein local chief executives imposed restrictive protocols to curtail opposition campaign rallies under the threat of arrest.
According to ASR Monitoring Project Director Atty. Marisse Aldeza, among the local government units that had the most number of ASR activities observed were Santiago City, Zamboanga City, and Baguio City.
“According to our observers, who talked to several respondents, they said they witnessed local incumbent candidates or party representatives using government vehicles during the last elections,” she said.
FILING OF CASES
Aldeza said some ASR activities are clearly violations of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC), particularly provisions under Section 261.
“During the campaign period, there are government resources that are prohibited to be accessed by the candidate for their campaign,” noted Aldeza.
In addition, she said there is a joint resolution issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) that prohibits civil servants from engaging in partisan political activities.
“There are respondents, who said they witnessed civil servants engaging in partisan political activities,” she said.
Asked if there are plans to file charges against accountable individuals, Aldeza said it would be a challenge.
She said this is because many of the respondents, who witnessed the ASR activities, fear for their safety.
“There is really no appetite for the public. Mainly because they are also afraid to file cases. That will be a challenge. It will be difficult to file cases since people are afraid,” said Aldeza.
STRICTER POLICIES
Instead of seeking accountability, Caritos said they will push for institutional reforms and stricter guidelines and laws.
She said Lente is recommending the amendment of Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code to establish a mechanism for command responsibility in so far as the local chief executive is concerned, in the event that the perpetrator of ASR is a local government employee, or under a job order contract.
She said they will also strongly recommend the amendment of Comelec-CSC Joint Circular No. 1-2016 or the Advisory on Electioneering and Partisan Political Activities, to include job orders under the prohibition on engaging with electioneering and partisan political activities.
Caritos said Lente is strongly urging the Comelec to issue stricter guidelines to prohibit the presence of any candidate, incumbent or otherwise, in the distribution of social services during the campaign period.
