No Free Pass on Campaign Rules

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) was right in drawing the line between what barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials may do during the campaign season and what they must absolutely avoid.

The poll body’s recent reminder—anchored on Minute Resolution 24-1001 and a standing Supreme Court decision—clarifies that elected barangay and SK officials are not covered by Civil Service rules that prohibit electioneering.

That said, this is not a blank check for them to do as they please.

They may openly endorse and campaign for candidates, but they are still strictly prohibited from using government resources, property, or personnel to boost their chosen bets.

This is where things get murky.

Despite clear restrictions—especially those under the Omnibus Election Code and COMELEC Resolution No. 11086—violations remain rampant.

Campaign materials are still posted on electric poles, trees, and public buildings.

Worse, there have been reports of casual workers under government programs being utilized to mount these materials, sometimes during their official working hours.

That’s impunity.

These individuals and their political patrons gamble on the weakness of enforcement, knowing that prosecution is rare, if not nonexistent.

They bet on public apathy and the slow grind of bureaucracy.

Even with Operation Baklas in motion and COMELEC’s coordinated takedowns of illegal posters, the task remains monumental.

Candidates and supporters know this—and exploit the gaps.

Legal loopholes, especially those that protect elected barangay officials from certain sanctions, leave COMELEC with a long list of what it cannot do.

It cannot discipline or suspend these officials. It can only charge them with election offenses, which often go unfiled or unresolved.

So, what now?

First, the public must understand that vigilance is not optional—it is essential. Citizens can document violations and report them to the COMELEC office.

In Iloilo City, reports may be filed with the poll body’s office at the second floor of Angeles Arcade Building on Mabini Street.

Photos, videos, and statements may serve as valuable evidence.

Second, pressure from the community can compel barangay and SK officials to act with greater restraint.

If constituents call out abuses, especially the misuse of government property or the unfair allocation of public venues for campaign activities, the political cost becomes higher than the benefit.

Third, media and civil society must consistently spotlight violations, even the smallest ones. The more these cases are exposed, the less likely they will be repeated.

Finally, voters must remember. Remember who followed the rules and who made a mockery of them. Remember who acted fairly and who used public power to advance private political ends.

COMELEC can issue all the resolutions it wants—but without public cooperation, these rules are just paper shields against deeply entrenched habits.

Barangay and SK officials may be exempt from civil service restrictions on partisanship. But they are not exempt from accountability.

And we should stop acting as if they are.