(UPDATED) NO candidates in the upcoming barangay elections will be allowed to take part in relief operations in earthquake-ravaged Bohol, Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr warned on Wednesday.
“The Commission on Elections is making sure that the distribution of relief will not be used for political purposes,” he said in a press briefing, adding that the poll body will not interfere in the operations but merely monitor.
The poll body issued Resolution No. 9804 banning barangay candidates from joining any relief activity, including members of the candidate’s family within the second degree of affinity or consanguinity.
The poll body on Tuesday rescheduled elections in Bohol for November 25. The new election period in Bohol will be from October 26 to December 10. The dates for the filing of Certificates of Candidacy will be from October 28 to 29 and the campaign period will be from November 15 to 23.
The resolution states that the participation of candidates in relief efforts will be considered as “vote buying,” an election offense.
“Hindi ho kami makikialam sa relief, mag-mo-monitor lang kami just to make sure that all election laws as well as non-interruption of the relief activities ay dapat mangyari. At hindi dapat sumali ang mga kandidato (We will not meddle with the relief operations. We will just monitor to make sure that all election laws, as well as the non-interruption of relief activities will happen. Also, candidates for the barangay polls should not interfere),” Brillantes said.
The Omnibus Election Code prohibits a candidate or his/her spouse or any member of the family to participate directly or indirectly in the distribution of any relief goods to victims of calamity. Relief goods under the law should be turned over to the Philippine National Red Cross.
On Tuesday, the Department of Interior and Local Government sought a probe on the alleged hoarding of relief goods, a week after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Bohol. News reports said there were complaints of goods given to local officials not being distributed.
The temblor killed at least 190 people in Central Visayas, most of them in Bohol. Over 100,000 people have been displaced. – Darlene Cay