Comelec must set rules on pre-campaign period activities: DILG

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) must issue guidelines on the activities for candidates before the start of the campaign period in February next year, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said Thursday night.

Año’s remarks came after presidential aspirant, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte held a caravan along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Wednesday.

Aside from causing traffic congestion, health protocols such as physical distancing were not observed as the caravan drew a huge crowd.

“We’re asking the Comelec to say what are the political activities that are allowed and not allowed. We hope it will be definite because there might be similar incidents in the future,” Año said in a message.

He said the issue would also have to be discussed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to prevent similar “super spreader” events.

“We will discuss this with the IATF, with the Comelec because the start of the campaign period is still in February, it’s a long way to go. We should be thankful that the Omicron (variant of Covid-19) is not yet here and our numbers (on Covid-19 infections) are good,” Año said.

Año said what Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government units can merely do is to implement minimum public health standards.

The Quezon City government has claimed that the organizers of the caravan refused to coordinate with local authorities.

The camp of Marcos earlier apologized for the inconvenience caused by the caravan to motorists.