Sa isang pulong balitaan ng Central Luzon Media Association (CLMA) Pampanga Chapter, sinabi ni Comelec Region 3 Assistant Director Atty. Elmo Duque, na ang mga ito ngayon ay pinagpapaliwanag na kaugnay ng mga alegasyon ng pre-mature campaigning at kung bakit hindi sila dapat i-disqualify.

Kapag napatunayan kasi na ang mga ito ay lumabag sa election rules, posibleng sila ay ma disqualify bilang kandidato sa paparating na halalan.

Dagdag pa ni Duque, mabilis umano na dinidinig ng Comelec ang mga ganitong kaso kaya kung mapatunayan na ang mga nabigyan ng show cause order ay may nilabag sa election rules ay posibleng bago pa ang campaign period ay lumabas na ang hatol sa mga ito.

According to an interview with Newsline Central Luzon, Atty. Elmo Duque, Director of COMELEC Region 3, stated that any candidate found in violation could face appropriate legal action.

Duque mentioned that the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) of a candidate who blatantly disregards the law could be revoked. Even if such a candidate manages to win the elections, they could still be removed from their position if proven guilty of violating campaign laws.

Furthermore, Duque explained that this offense could lead to imprisonment ranging from one to six years, with no possibility of probation.

Given the current election period, Duque emphasized that the agency is consistently monitoring the situation. He noted that rival candidates are also under close scrutiny, and they are likely to report any observed violations.

Meanwhile, despite the stringent guidelines from COMELEC regarding premature campaigning, the first day of COC submission for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in the City of San Fernando took on the atmosphere of a campaign rally.

Even before the Robinsons Starmills Mall opened its doors for COC submissions for the BSKE, supporters of various candidates had already gathered at the venue. Some were wearing t-shirts bearing the names and faces of their favored candidates.

COMELEC considers these actions as premature campaigning. As such, COMELEC strongly reminds those submitting their COCs until September 2 to adhere to the omnibus election code.

In addition to these instances, several candidates also organized motorcades as they submitted their COCs. Their vehicles, adorned with campaign banners, paraded towards Robinsons Starmills on August 28, 2023.