COMELEC: ‘Anything of value’ given to BSKE voters is ground for disqualification

The Commission on Elections on Thursday again reminded candidates for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections that anything of value they or their supporters give to voters is a ground for disqualification.

At the regular Laging Handa press briefing of Malacañang, COMELEC spokesperson Atty. John Rex Laudiangco said BSKE candidates are limited only to giving approved campaign materials under the Omnibus Election Code.

"Malinaw po kung ano lamang ang pinahihintulutang campaign or election propaganda – ito po iyong leaflets or flyers na hindi dapat lalaki sa 8 1/2 by 14 inches; ang atin pong posters or tarpaulins na hindi dapat lalaki sa 2 feet by 3 feet; at iyong banners po, iyong streamers na hindi dapat lumaki sa 3 feet by 8 feet," Laudiangco explained.

"Any other kind of campaign paraphernalia like t-shirts, ball caps, baller bands at iba pa ay maaaring pumasok doon sa sinasabi ng Section 2618 ng Omnibus Election Code, iyong pamimigay ng anumang bagay na may halaga, anything of value. Iyan po kasi ay maaaring ma-consider dahil may halaga po ito, maaaring ma-consider na isang pamamaraan po ng pamimili ng boto," he added.

Even if candidates claim that such items were only given by supporters, that is still in violation of Section 2618 of the Election Code, according to the Comelec officials.

He said they came out with an advisory about this issue last September 4, reiterating what is only mandated and allowed by Section 2618.

"Lumalabas po na lahat nang hindi nabanggit sa batas ay hindi pupuwede, at kapag ito ay may halaga, maaari po itong maging vote-buying or vote-selling na elemento. Ngayon, kahit po supporter, hindi lamang kandidato ang maaaring may liability pagdating sa premature campaigning, paglabag sa campaign materials, paglabag sa vote-buying or vote-selling law."

"Paalala po sa lahat ng kandidato: Ang maaari ninyo lamang pong gastusin sa inyong pangangampanya ay hindi lalampas ng limang piso kada registered voter sa inyong barangay. So para hindi kayo mahirapan po, ang bilang ng total number of registered voters po ninyo times five pesos – barangay lamang po ha, sa inyong barangay lamang – ay iyon po ang maximum spending cap limit po ninyo," Laudiangco further warned.

Penalties for these offenses range from six years' imprisonment to forfeiture of the right to suffrage and the biggest penalty of perpetual disqualification to hold public office, he said.