No premature campaigning – COMELEC

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MANILA – Amid the president’s criticisms over premature campaigning of certain politicians, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) remained firm that there are no acts constituting premature campaigning.

This is because there are no official candidates yet.

“Technically, under election law, nobody is campaigning because there are no candidates yet,” Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said.

The poll automation law indicates that “any person who files his certificate of candidacy shall only be considered as a candidate at the start of the campaign period.”

President Aquino was earlier reported to have lamented over certain acts of several politicians that he perceived to be campaigning ahead of the 2016 polls.

The president encouraged the public to cast their votes wisely and choose the best president who will continue the reforms he started.

He also called on the politicians to address the most pressing concerns of the country instead of focusing on campaigning as early as now.