MANILA – The Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday backtracked on its order for celebrities and other figures in the country’s entertainment industry to either go on leave or resign for endorsing candidates in the May 10 elections.
Instead, Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said they would allow the media outfits, particularly the major radio/television networks, to take action against their stars or “talents†endorsing these candidates.
Earlier, ABS-CBN, the country’s largest broadcast outfit, said it would allow its actors, singers and other entertainment personalities to endorse candidates provided they don’t do it during their regular shows or airtime.
On the other hand, GMA, another major radio and TV network, announced it would order its stars to either quit or go on leave if they are found to be appearing in paid advertisements to endorse candidates running for elective positions in May.
In its “en banc†meeting on Monday, Larrazabal said the seven-member Comelec, headed by former Supreme Court justice Jose Melo, agreed to hold in abeyance its order banning celebrity endorsers.
The order was to take effect during the official campaign period for candidates seeking national elective positions, such as president, vice president and senator, which runs from February 9 to May 8.
Also to be affected was the official campaign period for local candidates, like congressman, governor or mayor, which runs from March 28 to May 8.
Ferdinand Rafanan, the chief of the Comelec law department, has defended the order, saying this is in line with the provisions of the country’s Fair Elections Act in order to level the playing field for candidates.
Rafanan said the order would benefit especially the candidates who don’t have enough funds to pay for the services of celebrity endorsers as compared to their moneyed counterparts.
He warned that under the law, violators face the penalty of imprisonment of from one to six years, disqualification from holding public office and disenfranchisement or deprival of the right to vote.
Although actors, singers, comedians, dancers and other figures in the entertainment industry have served as “unpaid endorsers,†some have been reportedly paid huge sums by candidates either as crowd drawers during their campaign sorties or as possible vote-getters every election time.
But some celebrities like actor and former TV host Edu Manzano, questioned the legality of the order and asked the Comelec to reconsider its decision on the issue.
The order violates the freedom of expression and freedom of the press as well as the equal opportunity provision as guaranteed by the 1986 Constitution, said Manzano, the vice presidential candidate of the ruling Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats.
Supporters of the two leading president candidates – Senator Benigno “Noynoy†Aquino 3rd and Senator Manuel Villar – also threatened to elevate the case to the Supreme Court (SC) if the Comelec does not rescind its order.
Aquino, the only son of the late global democracy icon president Corazon Aquino and the standard bearer of the Liberal Party, appears to have the biggest number of celebrity endorsers, headed by his sister actress and popular TV host Kris Aquino, “superstars†like Sharon Cuneta and Vilma Santos, the reelectionist governor of Batangas province in Southern Luzon, as well as many of the country’s upcoming stars like Anne Curtis, Bea Alonso and Sanjo Merudo.
Identified with the camp of Villar, a multimillionaire businessman and the official candidate of the Nacionalista Party, are veteran comedian Dolphy, popular noontime TV variety show host Willie Revillame, singer Sarah Geronimo and international boxing idol Manny “Pacman†Pacquiao.
Loading ...
Reader’s Views