No rule prohibits President Duterte from endorsing candidates, according to COMELEC.
COMELEC — The Commission on Elections said that no rule prohibits President Rodrigo Duterte from endorsing political candidates running for office in the 2022 elections.
During a joint press briefing with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday, April 7, COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez was asked by the media if there’s any rule stopping the President from endorsing a presidential bet.
According to Jimenez, they prohibit the use of government resources for political campaigns and not the expression of support to any political candidate.
“Well, to be honest, wala. Kasi under our rules and civil service regulations, political officials, political officers are actually given a lot of leeway sa pag-i-endorso ng kandidato,” Jimenez said. “Ang pinagbabawal natin — and we agree with the DILG on this — is the use of government resources.“
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Jimenez also said that the President’s decision not to endorse a candidate could be a personal choice.
“I think in the case of the president it’s a question of his leadership, leadership style. Ayaw niya mag-endorse. That’s entirely up to him,” Jimenez said.
To recall, the President said in his Talk to the People address last April 5 that he’s steering clear of endorsing any candidate because he wants to avoid censure from the poll body.
The President recently endorsed the vice-presidential bid of his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
“Kaya nga wala kaming kandidato, except of course my daughter, so I have to mention her because she is my daughter. Ano man ang dynamics namin sa ‘yung mga party nila, anak ko ‘yan eh… I’m just trying to avoid politicking because baka masabit tayo sa Comelec,” the President said last April 5.
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