THE Catholic Church has reiterated its call to all officers and members of any organization of the congregation to vacate their posts if they are running for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) on October 30.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) warned candidates who have already filed their certificate of candidacy (COC) for the BSKE against launching premature campaigns.
In another development, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it has so far logged eight suspected incidents related to the forthcoming BSKE..
“All incumbent officers and members of different Church organizations who wish to be elected as public officials should file a leave of absence addressed to their respective parish priests. Failure to do so, they will be automatically resigned from their posts effective upon their filing of certificate of candidacy,” according to a circular issued by Catholic Bishop Dennis Villarojo.
While the Church strongly encourages lay participation in politics, he said they are aware “of the potential for confusion when it comes to exercising power both in the Church and in public office”.
“In this regard, we wish to guard our faithful against possible accusations of using the Church for partisan exercise,” he explained
The prelate said individuals who lose in the election may resume their service in the Church, subject to the approval of the parish priest.
The diocese also discouraged the use of any church facilities and affiliations during the campaign, including wearing church organization shirts.
“We hope that our brothers and sisters who seek to be elected as public officials will bring with them the values of Christ in thiswonderful venture, prioritizing the common good, justice, peace, witha love of preference for the poor and in the spirit of Christian service,” Villarojo said.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said the campaign period will be from October 19 to 28, 2023.
The poll body stressed that anyone caught soliciting votes for or against any political candidate, promoting their advocacies, and hanging posters ahead of October 19 would be punished.
The Comelec will initiate charges on candidates who will campaign outside of the October 19-28 campaign period and will be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years without probation.
Violators would also suffer disqualification from public office and deprivation of their right of suffrage.
During campaign period, BSKE aspirants can use pamphlets, leaflets, cards, decals, stickers or other written or printed materials the size of which does not exceed eight and one half inches in width and fourteen inches in length.
Handwritten or printed letters urging voters to vote for or against any particular political party or candidate for public office are also allowed.
The poll body also permits cloth, paper or cardboard posters with an area not exceeding 2 x 3 feet.
Meanwhile, Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino said the establishment of 2,283 emergency accessible polling places will be ready to accommodate the following registered voters: 458,284 persons with disabilities, 11,371,198 senior citizens, and 817,084 indigenous peoples (IPs) alongside the polling places prepared for all regular barangay and SK Voters.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, Quezon City, PNP spokesperson Col.Jean Fajardo said the cases, including shootings and stabbings, were recorded in the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula andSoccskargen.
Fajardo said however that these incidents would have to be validated within 10 days
by the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council (JPSCC) to determine if these can be considered as election-related.
“First, we have to determine whether the victim or the suspect is an incumbent official running in the BSKE. We also check whether these are Comelec (Commission on Elections) officers or family members of candidates or identified political supporters of a candidate. Another thing is we would check if these would affect the electoral process,” she said.
“In the past, there were incidents that qualified as ERI because these happened during the election period. Another parameter is if the incident may somehow create a form of political tension that may eventually affect the electoral proceedings,” Fajardo added.
She noted that one of the eight incidents that has been validated happened in Libon, Albay where the victim, Alex Repato, a re-electionist captain of Barangay San Jose, was shot dead by still unidentified assailants in his house during the first day of filing of COCs last Aug. 28.
Meanwhile, police are looking into another incident where a candidate was allegedly prevented from filing his COC in Malabang, Lanao del Sur.
“We have to understand this area under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). There are special geographic areas we also have to monitor the presence of some threat groups. These are some of the factors we are seriously considering studying to make sure that the deployment we are going to make is right,” Fajardo said.
Fajardo also said they are awaiting data from the Police Security Protection Group (PSPG) on barangay officials allowed to have a police escort following threats to their lives have been validated.
“If by any chance it is validated that there is an existing threat to their lives, under the rules they can only be given a maximum of two security escorts coming from the AFP and PNP and they cannot choose,” she added.
The election period for the BSKE started on Aug.28 and runs until Nov. 29.
During this period, Comelec regulations mandate the suspension of activities involving the carrying of firearms or other deadly weapons and the employment of security personnel or bodyguards by incumbent public officials, whether elected or appointed, as well as private individuals.
To facilitate the application for the issuance of a Certificate of Authority for Security Detail, eligible individuals, including incumbent public officials and private citizens, are encouraged to submit their requests online through the Comelec website.
The electronic filing system has been operational since June 5 and will remain open until Nov. 15.