Campaign for local bets takes off on Black Saturday

MANILA, Philippines - The campaign period for local candidates will start on Black Saturday, March 26, and not Good Friday as earlier prescribed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said yesterday.

Citing Comelec Resolution 9981 issued on Aug. 18, 2015, Macalintal said the local campaign begins on March 25.

“But March 25 happens to be Good Friday and part of the Catholic celebration of the Holy Week. Under Section 5 of Republic Act 7166, the law synchronizing the national and local elections, campaigning is now allowed on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday,” he said.

“Thus, the campaign period for local candidates will actually start on March 26,” he added.

Local elective positions include those for members of the House of Representatives, governor, mayor, provincial board member and city and municipal councilors.

While the local campaign will start on March 26 yet, the campaign for national positions – president, vice president and senator – begins today.

The national campaign is 90 days and for local posts 45 days.

Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas and his running mate Leni Robredo will launch their quest for the presidency and vice presidency in Roxas’ home province of Capiz.

Sens. Grace Poe and Francis Escudero will launch their campaign in Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, while Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano picked Tondo, Manila as their kick-off venue.

Criticisms, black propaganda online

As the election fever heats up with the start of the campaign period today, netizens went all-out in criticizing the presidential candidates.

While candidates are trying to tap social media to gain public support and promote their respective platforms, discussion threads on various online pages show cyberspace will be a venue for black propaganda and other dirty tricks.

On Facebook, the five presidential candidates have consistently been on the receiving end of criticisms that range from questions on their track record to allegations that supposedly make them unfit to lead the country.

Bearing the brunt of such attacks are top contenders Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay, who have been the subject of various negative paid advertisements on Facebook.

Poe and Binay in the past year topped non-commissioned pre-election surveys conducted by independent pollsters such as Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations.

Results of a Pulse Asia survey released on Saturday showed Poe surging past Binay, who is now statistically tied in second place with administration bet Roxas and Duterte.

Trailing them in fifth place is Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who is banking on her renewed popularity on social media to finally win the presidency, her third bid.

Skeletons in the closet

The negative advertisements against Poe highlight questions on her eligibility to rule the country, considering her previous decision to move to the United States and change her citizenship. The issue is currently pending before the Supreme Court.

Critics also hit Poe’s supposed lack of experience and her repeated use of the name of her father, the late Fernando Poe Jr., in order to gain public support.

Binay is being criticized over allegations of corruption that had been floated during the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee investigation, and the charges lodged against him at the Office of the Ombudsman.

He is also the subject of paid television advertisements that revive the corruption issues against him.

Administration bet Roxas is continuously haunted by his track record as former secretary of the departments of transportation and communications, and the interior and local government.

Roxas is criticized for the deteriorating condition of public transportation and airports, as well as the slow government response in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Duterte and Santiago enjoy relatively more supporters among Filipino netizens. – Janvic Mateo, Evelyn Macairan