KNOW your rights and duties to secure an honest and peaceful election. Here’s a rundown of election laws
• Registering as a voter twice is illegal based on the Omnibus Election Code.
• The election period begins 90 days before the day of the election and ends 30 days after. In this period, election laws are implemented.
• Vote-buying and selling include offering or promising employments, franchise and grants for an individual or a community.
• Betting on the outcome of the elections and anything related to it is strictly prohibited. The money or anything of value involved in the bet will be confiscated by the government.
•Public officer, religious organizations’ head or any employer are not allowed to influence his subordinates, parishioners, or employees to campaign or vote for or against any candidate.
• The use of public funds and facilities for an election campaign is strictly prohibited. The government is also not allowed to release funds for all kinds of public works except those for the maintenance or completion of existing projects.
• Soliciting votes or any propaganda, for or against any candidate on the day of election within the polling place is strictly prohibited.
• Selling, buying, serving and taking liquor on the day of the elections are punishable by law.
• Holding fairs, cockfights, boxing, horse races, jai-alai or any other similar sports is also illegal on the day of the elections.
• Print advertisements for political ads should not exceed one-fourth page in a broadsheet and half-page in tabloids. It should only be published thrice a week per newspaper, magazine or other publications, during the campaign period. For aired ads candidates are limited to not more than 120 minutes of television advertisement and 180 minutes of radio advertisement, whether by purchase or donation.
Anyone caught committing any election offense will be imprisoned for not less than one year but not more than six years. In the event of failure to register or vote, he will be fined P100 upon conviction. He is also disqualified to hold public office and deprived of the right to vote. J.L.G.Aguilar
