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Namfrel launches drive against early campaigners
Political ads can be found everywhere during election season in the Philippines (Carlo Marco Simpao / flickr)
MANILA — An election watchdog has launched a shame campaign which aims to use the social media to show pictures or videos of overeager politicians engaging in premature campaigning for the May 2016 elections.
The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) has invited concerned citizens to send pictures or videos of public officials who are promoting themselves this early, to the Eleksyon 2016 Pampams Facebook page.
The public may also use Twitter using the hashtag #pampam.
“Pampam” is a word play on “papansin” (attention seeking).
“So far, those who have been featured in paid advertisements on national television are some of the top national and local politicians, as well as bureaucrats.
Most page postings are on flagrant violations by local officials and prospective candidates,” said the first citizens-led election monitoring group in the country in a statement.
They noted that “Pampams” project themselves via tarpaulins posted on wires, posts, and walls (congratulating or announcing some event), on social media sites, through radio, television and print advertisement, by riding their name on public service projects such as Conditional Cash Transfer, PhilHealth Cards, relief goods distribution, vaccination campaign, etc.
The group admitted that there is a loophole in the election laws allowing politicians to advertise themselves without being penalized for early campaigning, citing the 2009 ruling by the Supreme Court (Comelec vs Penera) which ruled out any offense on early campaigning.
However, the organization said that election monitoring organizations and private citizens may investigate the use of public funds in the self-promotion by these candidates but it will be lengthy and litigious.
The Namfrel’s “Politikong Pampam” has so far featured about a hundred individual instances of early campaigning. All the entries have come from their volunteers and supporters.
