Comelec rules no election laws violated by a Negros Oriental official seen throwing P500 bills at an event, citing technicalities in election regulations.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) stated that a local official from Negros Oriental, who went viral for throwing P500 bills at a gathering, did not technically violate any election laws.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia clarified that the act does not fall under election laws since the official, who is also a candidate in the May elections, is not yet covered by campaign regulations.
Garcia further explained that local officials who have filed their certificates of candidacy are still considered aspirants until the official campaign period begins.
He referenced the Supreme Court’s Peñera Doctrine, which states that a person is only deemed a candidate once the campaign period starts, making them subject to election laws.
However, Garcia noted that concerned residents or the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) may still file complaints against the official.