A poll watchdog has urged the Commission on Elections to implement the prohibited acts that should be in effect during an election period in the absence of a law postponing the Oct. 31 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.
National Movement for Free Elections secretary-general Eric Alvia said it is only proper for the poll body to implement what is provided under the law since the postponement of the polls scheduled at the end of this month is not yet clear.
“The bill has not been signed yet by the President. So, technically, we are in an election period already. Given that, prohibited acts, such as appointment bans or even the gun ban, should be in effect,” he said.
“They have to observe and implement the prevailing law,” the Namfrel official added.
Based on Comelec’s calendar of activities, the election period will run from Oct. 1 to Nov. 7.
Among the prohibited acts during an election period are carrying of firearms or other deadly weapons; use of security personnel or bodyguards by candidates; transfer or detail of officers and employees in the civil service, including public school teachers; organizing or maintaining reaction forces, strike forces or similar forces; and suspension of any elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officer.
Alvia acknowledged that the situation right now is not entirely Comelec’s fault.
“In this case, they are delaying or withholding implementation due to unclear policy signals. This is not entirely their fault,” he said.
Comelec has already suspended all activities related to the scheduled polls even as President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to sign into law the measure that will pave the way for the election postponement.