Voters have last say on bets engaged in premature campaigning

FILE: DONE VOTING. A member of the Board of Election Tellers (BET) puts indelible ink on the index finger of a voter at a polling precinct in Pinaglabanan Elementary School in San Juan City during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Monday (May 14, 2018). (PNA photo by Joey Razon)

MANILA — The voters have the final say if they find the actions of the candidates promoting themselves ahead of the campaign period as offensive, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Tuesday.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said registered voters may choose not to support the candidates engaged in unfair election practices.

“As I’ve said many times a lot of people might find it distasteful, a lot of people might find it an unfair practice, etc… If people feel a certain way then take it out on the ballot because ultimately that’s the judgment that politics understand,” Jimenez said in a press briefing.

Jimenez reiterated that an aspirant for any elective post “is not an official candidate until the start of the campaign period”.

The campaign period for national positions or those running for senatorial and party-list posts will begin on Feb. 12 and will end on May 11.

On the other hand, the Comelec set the campaign period for local posts from March 29 to May 11.

The mid-terms polls will take place on May 13.