Public domain image released by the Philippine Senate- Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago promised to prosecute candidates who campaigned prematurely
- She said that political aspirants are expected to follow the rule of law
- The Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that only those candidates who committed offenses during the official campaign period could be prosecuted
People’s Reform Part (PRP) standard-bearer Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago promised on Friday that she will definitely go after political aspirants who engaged in premature political advertisements and disregarded the campaign period specified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In an article written by Anne Estanislao for CNN Philippines on April 29, 2016, it was disclosed that the presidential candidate tagged with vice-presidential bet Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. said that it is imperative for aspiring leaders to follow the rule of law.
“I will seek the criminal prosecution of all people who engaged in pre-campaign advertising, the law sets up a penalty for people guilty of that offense. I will try my best that those guilty are prosecuted,” Santiago said.
According to a Comelec regulation, a candidate who will be proven guilty of premature campaigning will face a criminal offense and will be disqualified from public office.
However, the Supreme Court revised the rule in 2006; saying that the Comelec can only impose penalties on candidates who have committed offenses during the official campaign period.
“In 2006, the Supreme Court said it’s just freedom of expression,” said Atty. Rudyard Avila; an election lawyer.
Meanwhile, AGB Nielsen Media Research Philippines, Inc. has released the list of top spenders during the first two months of the campaign in line with the local and national elections; saying that at least two persons running for president have already breached half of the limit set by the Comelec.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is currently running as the standard-bearer of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), had already spent nearly P385 million, while independent presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares has utilized over P331 million worth of funds.
The administration’s bet, Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, have already spent P158 million during the two-month period; not counting the expenses for advertisements he made with his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo.
Interestingly, presidential survey forerunner Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City, who serves as the standard-bearer of the PDP-Laban party, landed only on the fourth rank in the list of top campaign spenders; having spent only P110 million for political campaigns; already including his tandem advertisements with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
Atty. Apolonia Comia-Soguilon, the presidential candidate tagged by political analysts as an “unknown candidate,” only spent P195 thousand as a replacement bet for the late OFW Family Club party-list Rep. Roy Señerez.
Lastly, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago did not spend even a single centavo for her presidential campaign; having been funded by the PRP – a political group she founded during the 1992 national elections.
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