THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Saturday that the current Negros Oriental official who went viral for distributing P500 bills has not technically violated election laws.
“It’s not covered by election laws, to be honest,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in an interview when asked about the official’s distribution of money.
Garcia added that the provincial official is not yet considered a candidate, only an “aspirant,” as the campaign period for local elective posts begins on March 28.
He also cited the Supreme Court’s decision, known as the Peñera Doctrine, which states that a person who has filed a certificate of candidacy is only considered a candidate when the campaign period begins, thus subjecting them to election laws.
However, Garcia said that residents or the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) can still file complaints.
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