Official candidates for the national and local elections who violate health and safety protocols will be sanctioned by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Wednesday.
Nograles said all election-related activities during the campaign period will now be under the jurisdiction of the Comelec.
“So, in terms of enforcement, in terms of protocols and guidelines, since the campaign period already started on February 8, yesterday, that will fall under, strictly speaking, the jurisdiction of Comelec,” he said in a radio interview.
Nograles said it will be up to the Comelec to impose corresponding sanctions or punishments to violators of campaign rules, guidelines, and protocols, including minimum public health standards.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will only be responsible for all non-election-related activities, he added.
The 90-day election campaign period for the national candidates in the May 9 election started on Tuesday.
The Comelec earlier reminded candidates of the restrictions that will be implemented for in-person campaigning such as crowding or gathering a large group of people as well as entering houses, kissing, handshaking, hugging the public, and even taking selfies with supporters are strictly prohibited.
The Philippine National Police has also said it will exercise maximum tolerance in enforcing election guidelines and COVID-19 health standards in campaign rallies of candidates.
PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said police personnel will first discuss the offense with campaign participants to avoid further tension during the activities.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said police officers and barangay officials will be deployed to monitor compliance of candidates with the Comelec guidelines on election activities.
Meanwhile, the number of people arrested for violating the election gun ban has risen to 921, the PNP said on Wednesday.
The National Capital Region had 290 offenders, followed by Central Visayas with 117 and Central Luzon with 116, according to latest PNP data.
The PNP said 888 of the arrested violators were civilians, eight were police personnel, five were military personnel, and 12 were security guards.
Confiscated from the violators were 723 firearms, 4,563 pieces of ammunition, and 314 deadly weapons.
A total of 807 operations have been conducted.
