The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded local candidates in Antique that holding political campaigns is prohibited during the Holy Week.

“Candidates should momentarily stop their house-to-house, rally, mobile or recorida and any other form of campaigning during the Holy Week,” Comelec acting Assistant Regional Director and concurrent Antique Provincial Election Supervisor Wil Arceño in an interview on Monday.

Local candidates are prohibited from conducting any form of political campaign on April 17, a Maundy Thursday, and April 18, Good Friday.

The prohibition on campaigning in observance of the Holy Week is based on Comelec Resolution Number 10999 and is considered an election offense.

Arceño said local candidates may resume their campaign on the first hour of April 19.

In a separate interview, San Jose de Buenavista Election Officer III Johnna Catilo said the two-day no campaigning is also intended for the local candidates to have their spiritual reflection and to spend time with their families.

“We are really appealing to the candidates to observe the prohibition from campaigning, for anyway, it will only be for two days,” she said.

She further urged the public to report to Comelec if they know of a local candidate who campaigns despite the prohibition for filing appropriate complaints.

Catilo, meanwhile, said that since the start of the local campaign on March 28, they removed around 1,931 illegal and oversized campaign materials.

“We were able to remove mostly illegal campaign materials along the highway,” she said.

Catilo said they always request the San Jose de Buenavista Municipal Engineering Office to assist them during Operation Baklas every Friday as some campaign tarpaulins were posted on electric posts and trees. (PNA)