Campaigning no longer allowed, poll exec reminds overseas Pinoys


As far as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is concerned, neither supporters nor the candidates themselves are allowed to campaign abroad during the month-long voting period for overseas Filipinos.
"Bawal na po ang magkampanya," Commissioner Arthur Lim, head of the Comelec committee on overseas voting, said Tuesday, reacting to a petition filed by a Filipino-American with the Supreme Court.
In her petition, the US-based Loida Nicolas-Lewis, represented by Ateneo Human Rights Center, challenges Section 36.8 of Republic Act No. 9189 (OAVA of 2003), as amended by R.A. No 10590 (Overseas Voting Act of 2013) and Section 74 (II)(8) of Comelec Resolution No. 10035, pertaining to the prohibition of partisan political activity abroad during the 30-day overseas voting period. 
According to Lewis, she and other overseas Filipinos were prohibited by the different Philippine Consulates from conducting information campaigns, as well as rallies and outreach programs in support of their respective candidates, especially for the presidential and vice presidential race.
The petitioner said while the contested provisions reflected the spirit behind the Omnibus Election Code, "[T]he manner by which this is to be carried out fails to consider the unique context of overseas absentee voting, thereby resulting in the undue curtailment of the most cherished rights of freedom of speech and expression, and of information."
But Lim said the law should be followed.
"Ang batas kasi diyan, during the election period, dapat wala nang kampanya," he said on Tuesday. "Ang voting period ng overseas [absentee] is one month, so from Apr. 9 to May 9. Wala nang campaigning."
Comelec Resolution No. 9981 prohibits campaigning abroad during the one-month voting period. The same is provided by the Overseas Voting Act of 2013.
According to Lim, they will keep track of campaigning done amid this ban overseas. "'Yan po ay imo-monitor natin at ire-record natin 'yung violations, and we will act accordingly," he said.
There are a total of 1,376,067 Filipinos registered for overseas absentee voting. As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, 95,547 of them have voted. —KBK, GMA News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more