MONTH before the start of the official campaign period for the May 2025 national and local polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said there is nothing wrong with barangay officials engaging in propaganda activities to help candidates in their election bids.
In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said elected barangay officials may campaign for or against any candidate as it is allowed by the 2010 Supreme Court (SC) ruling in Quinto vs Comelec, which states that “political partisanship is the inevitable essence of a political office, elective positions included.”
The SC also said elected officials are not covered by the ban on partisan political campaigning for any officer or employee in the civil service.
“According to the Supreme Court, they (barangay officials) are political (officials). They can help politicians (during the campaign),” said Garcia.
Nevertheless, the poll chief warned barangay officials to observe all rules and laws when campaigning for their respective candidates.
“Barangay officials may still be subject to disciplinary actions as they are covered by the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government),” he said.
“They may not commit any election offense but there are other laws that govern them,” he also said.
The campaign period for candidates for senator and party-list groups will run from February 11 until May 10, 2025.
On the other hand, the campaign period for candidates for congressmen, and parliamentary, provincial, city, and municipal officials will begin on March 28 and end on May 10, 2025.
Meanwhile, Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. yesterday warned people who may be planning to undermine next year’s national and local elections, saying the military will use all its might to stop them.
Brawner, during the change of command ceremony at the headquarters of the AFP Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) in Zamboanga City, ordered acting Wesmincom commander Maj. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete to start preparing for the elections.
“Next year, you will be facing a bigger challenge, which is the elections, the midterm elections and the BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) elections,” Brawner told Nafarrete who he earlier ordered to finish off terrorist and communist groups in Western Mindanao.
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero recently filed a bill seeking to postpone the BARMM elections to May 11, 2026 from May 12 next year, coinciding with the national and local elections.
“Whether it (BARMM election) pushes through next year or the following year, you have to start your preparations as early as now,” said Brawner.
“And I am confident that with you at the helm of the Westmincom, we will be able to succeed in making sure that the elections will be peaceful and orderly,” he added.
Brawner issued a stern warning against those who may be planning to disrupt next year’s elections. – With Victor Reyes
