With the election period set to begin on Sunday, January 12, 2025, the Philippine National Police (PNP) held a send-off ceremony for police officers who will man Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoints.
“Twenty-four hours po ito, so definitely around the city, there will be 14 checkpoints at any time,” said Manila Police District Director PBGen. Arnold Thomas Ibay in an interview with Jonathan Andal on 24 Oras Weekend.
(These checkpoints will operate 24/7, with 14 strategically placed around the city at any given time.)
Beginning Sunday at exactly midnight, a nationwide gun ban will take effect, coinciding with the start of the election period for the May 2025 polls.
To prevent election-related violence, the Comelec will enforce stricter security measures. At checkpoints, only visual inspections are allowed. Police are prohibited from opening a vehicle’s trunk or glove compartment, as well as dismounting or frisking passengers.
“Hindi dapat sila (mga pulis) magre-react kasi magiging protection din ng bawat isa yung gagawin ng kababayan nating yun. Puwede tayong mag-video gamit ng ating mga cellphone. Magvi-video rin kami kung kinakailangan po para rin ma-document yung ginagawa namin,” said PBGen Anthony Aberim, NCRPO regional director.
(Police officers should remain professional. Citizens are also encouraged to document any interactions using their cell phones if necessary. Police officers will also document their operations to ensure transparency.)
Checkpoints are required to be in well-lit areas, with police officers in proper uniform and wearing visible name tags. Each checkpoint must display a sign indicating the name of the precinct chief, the local Comelec officer, and contact numbers for reporting any concerns.
Campaign, pre-campaign activities
Although the official campaign period will not start until February 11, 2025, campaign posters and materials featuring aspirants’ faces and names are already widespread across the country.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia clarified that the commission cannot act against these materials yet.
“Yung pagkalalaki nilang tarpulin, yung mga pagkalalaki nilang mga nakalagay po sa kalsada, yung mga pamumukha nilang, ‘Hi, hello, goodbye, welcome,’ hindi po namin pwede ipatanggal dahil hindi pa sila kandidato. Yung mga local governments po sana ang pwede magpatanggal,” Garcia explained.
(The oversized tarpaulins and other campaign paraphernalia cannot be removed because the individuals involved are not yet considered official candidates. It falls under the jurisdiction of local governments to remove such materials if deemed necessary.)
The Comelec will begin addressing illegal campaign materials 72 hours or three days before February 11 – the official start of the campaign period.
“We are going to write you a letter, remove the campaign material. If within three days hindi mo tatanggalin, kami mismo ang magapapa-disqualify sa iyo. May power kami motu propio kasi disqualification case yun,” said Garcia.
(We will issue a notice requiring the removal of campaign materials. If they are not taken down within three days, we will file disqualification cases against violators, which we can initiate motu proprio.)
From January 12 to March 28, the distribution of government aid is generally prohibited.
However, Comelec has allowed programs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to continue, provided no candidates attend the aid distribution events.
Requests for guarantee letters for hospitalization will also not be restricted during this period. — Sherylin Untalan/DVM, GMA Integrated News
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