Brillantes on ‘epals’: Remember now, forget at polls

MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr said the commission cannot run after candidates who campaign prematurely, but said that the best revenge is to remember these “epal” politicians now and forget them at the polls.

In a series of tweets on Monday, September 10, using his newly-opened Twitter account @ChairBrillantes, the commissioner said that he is also “appalled” by posters of potential candidates, derisively labeled as “epal” posters in social media.

Like the rest of the nation, I am appalled by these #epal posters.

— Sixto Brillantes Jr. (@ChairBrillantes) September 10, 2012

“Epal posters cheapen our electoral process as if these candidates are supermarket commodities that need to be advertised,” he said.

#Epal posters cheapen our electoral process as if these candidates are supermarket commodities that need to be advertised.

— Sixto Brillantes Jr. (@ChairBrillantes) September 10, 2012

Because of the absence of a law prohibiting these, Brillantes said they cannot pursue these people since there is no violation.

The best way to deal with these, he said, is to “remember their faces now and forget their names come election day.”

With no law punishing/prohibiting it, COMELEC cannot run after candidates campaigning prematurely.#epal

— Sixto Brillantes Jr. (@ChairBrillantes) September 10, 2012

The best way to deal with these #epals: REMEMBER their faces NOW and FORGET their names come election day.

— Sixto Brillantes Jr. (@ChairBrillantes) September 10, 2012

He also expressed support for the passage of a bill against premature campaigning, particularly the bill proposed by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

In Santiago’s bill, would-be candidates are required to file a “Certificate of Intent to Run for Public Office” (Cirpo) 6 months before the deadline for filing of Certificates of Candidacy (CoCs).

The Cirpo, a mandatory requirement before a CoC is filed, will then prevent any person from premature campaigning, from product endorsements, media employment, buying ad spaces, or any other activity deemed by the Comelec as premature campaigning.

It will also abolish the provision in the Poll Automation Law that says a person is considered a candidate only at the start of the campaign period.

“Long-term solution is for Congress to reenact/pass a law prohibiting/punishing premature campaigning,” Brillantes added. – Rappler.com

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