February 1 - 15, 2019
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
LOCAL NEWS
Philippine Election season begins
The 90-day national campaign
in the Philippines for 62 senatorial
candidates and 134 party-list groups
in the May 13, 2019 elections has
started.
The campaign kicked off on
February 12, with the Commission
on Elections (Comelec) warning
candidates
against
committing
electoral offenses.
Also on that day, the Philippine
National Police said that there are 701
election hotspots across the country.
The Senate race is considered
to be tight, with seven senators
seeking reelection, six others wanting
to return to the chamber and several
prominent candidates, including
those endorsed by President Rodrigo
Duterte, fighting over only 12 slots.
The Hugpong ng Pagbabago
(HNP), a regional party headed
by Davao City Mayor and Duterte
daughter Sara Duterte, is supporting
Senators Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara,
Joseph Victor Ejercito, and Aquilino
Pimentel III.
The HNP is also supporting
other candidates: former special
assistant to the president Christopher
Go, former Bureau of Corrections
chief Ronaldo dela Rosa, former
political affairs adviser Francis
Tolentino,
Taguig
City-Pateros
congresswoman
Pia
Cayetano,
former senators Ramon Revilla Jr.
and Jinggoy Estrada, Maguindanao
Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu and former
journalist Jiggy Manicad.
The opposition senatorial
slate is called Otso Diretso (Straight
Eight). The slate is composed of
Senator Bam Aquino, former senator
Mar Roxas, human rights lawyer Chel
Diokno, Marawi civic leader Samira
Gutoc, former solicitor general
Florin Hilbay, veteran election lawyer
Romulo Macalintal, former Quezon
congressman Erin Tañada, and
Magdalo party list congressman Gary
Alejano.
In a press briefing in Camp
Crame, PNP Chief, Director General
Oscar Albayalde, said the 701
hotspots are divided into: 223 areas
of concern (yellow category), 382
areas of immediate concern (orange
category), 94 areas of grave concern
(red category), and two areas under
control of the Comelec.
Albayalde said a place tagged
as an area of concern means it has
a history of election-related incidents
in the last two elections and intense
political rivalry, and it had been
previously declared under Comelec
control.
Areas of immediate concern
are those where there is serious armed
threat posed by the New People’s
Army (NPA), Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf
Group (ASG), and rogue elements of
the Moro National Liberation Front
(MNLF), and Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) and other lawless
elements.
Areas of grave concern exhibit
the combined factors under the
yellow and orange categories, such
that it may warrant the motu proprio
(on its own) declaration of Comelec
control.
Under the law, the Comelec
may place any political subdivision
under its immediate and direct
control and supervision if, among
other things, there is a history of or
current intense political rivalry among
contending parties, as these rivalries
could motivate people to engage in
violent acts.
”On election matters, as the
campaign period gets underway
for national elective positions in the
May 13, 2019 mid-term elections,
the PNP is seriously considering
some adjustments in our projected
deployment of police units and
personnel for election duties,”
Albayalde said.
Of the 94 areas of grave
concern, 27 are in the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM),
19 in the Bicol region, seven each in
Calabarzon and Western Mindanao,
six each in Mimaropa and Western
Visayas, five in Northern Mindanao,
four each in Soccsksargen and the
Cordillera region, three in Eastern
Visayas, two each in Central Luzon
and Davao region and one each in
Caraga and Cagayan Valley.
Regions without areas of grave
concern include Ilocos, National
Capital Region (NCR) and Central
Visayas.
In the National Capital Region,
five areas -- Manila, Caloocan, Pasay,
Mandaluyong, and Malabon – have
been classified as areas of concern.
“Currently in effect for the entire
duration of the campaign period is a
set of rules imposed by the Comelec,
specifically on prescribed limits of
campaign activities and other illegal
acts defined under the Omnibus
Election Code,” Albayalde said.
He also reiterated the PNP’s
strict compliance with all Comelec
resolutions on the ban on carrying
firearms
and
employment
of
bodyguards.
“Everyone is reminded of the
Alunan Doctrine that allows only two
security personnel under extreme
cases, subject to background
investigation and approval by
Comelec,” he added.
The campaign period for
candidates for senator and party list
groups is from February 12, 2019
to May 11, 2019, with campaigning
prohibited March 28, 2019 (Holy
Thursday) and March 29, 2019 (Good
Friday).
Meanwhile, the Campaign
Period for candidates for Members
of the House of Representatives and
elective Regional, Provincial, City
and Municipal Officials will run from
March 30, 2019 to May 11, 2019.
Campaigning in the Philippines
is prohibited from May 12-13, 2019,
which is also the period for the liquor
ban.
The gun ban period started on
January 13, 2019. The gun ban will
be effective until June 12.
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