BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) is mulling sanctions against Senators Imee Marcos and Lito Lapid for allegedly violating the “no campaigning” rule during the Panagbenga Festival.

This follows an incident during the Grand Float Parade on 23 February when two senatorial candidates were reportedly involved in actions that contravened the festival’s guidelines.

“Since they don’t care, then we don’t care either. We will just ban them from future events, whether there’s a campaign or not,” said BFFFI Executive Committee Chairperson Anthony de Leon.

BFFFI chairman for life, Attorney Mauricio G. Domogan, announced that a thorough investigation into the incident is underway. He stated that the violation will be addressed seriously during the board of trustees’ meeting, where all details will be gathered and the rules will be enforced accordingly.

Domogan, a former mayor and congressman of Baguio, noted that if the allegations are confirmed, the maximum penalty could be a ban on the politicians from participating in future parades.

Domogan also clarified that politicians, whether seeking re-election or running for new positions, are prohibited from leaving their floats, shaking hands with the public, or distributing campaign materials during the festival.

“All participants were registered and permitted to join on the condition that they follow the rules. They know the rules, and they are expected to respect them, just as we respect them,” he emphasized.

The BFFFI had made it clear as early as 6 January that political campaigning during the festivities would not be allowed.

During the Grand Float Parade, Senator Imee Marcos was seen riding on one of the floats with celebrities and allegedly stepped off to engage with media members.

Similarly, Mark Lapid, the son of Lito Lapid, was also reported to have violated the rules while participating on the float for the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.

The BFFFI clarified that all participants were registered with the understanding that they would adhere to the festival’s rules.

The foundation emphasized that the integrity of the event must be upheld and that all individuals involved, including political figures, are expected to show respect for the festival and its traditions.