Comelec Declares Caravans, Motorcades, Rallies In Support Of Candidates Before Campaign Period Legal
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that all caravans, motorcades, and rallies in support of several candidates before the campaign period for the upcoming 2022 national elections are legal.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said although the instinctual reaction is to complain about premature campaigning, he emphasized that the Comelec could not do anything about it as the law itself does not penalize this kind of behavior.
Under Republic Act No. 9369, Jimenez noted that a candidate is only considered an official candidate when the campaign period starts which means every law and regulation that applies to them will be effective only at the start of the campaign period.
He explained RA 9369 “changed the definition of an official candidate from one who has filed his certificate of candidacy to someone who has filed his certificate of candidacy and then made it to the campaign period.”
He also admitted this created a loophole that allows premature campaigning to happen.
“Premature campaigning is no longer a punishable offense so all of these activities, the caravans, all the rallies that are being held left and right, all of these are actually legal,” Jimenez said.
[WATCH] Nationwide caravans of the following presidential candidates here:
Leni Robredo:
Isko Moreno:
Manny Pacquiao:
Bongbong Marcos:
Ping Lacson:
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