Exposure in VP impeachment trial not part of campaign airtime — Comelec

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia (INQUIRER / LYN RILLON)

MANILA, Philippines — The legally allocated campaign airtime limit for Senate re-electionists will not be affected once they start serving as judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia pointed out on Thursday. 

“Basta ang isang personalidad kahit siya ay nakaupo o tumatakbo at siya ay naging parte ng balita, dahil walang magagawa dahil siya ang balita, yan po ay hindi kasama sa time allocation,” Garcia said in an ambush interview on Thursday.

(The exposure of a personality, whether they are an incumbent or a candidate that becomes part of the news, will not be included in the time allocation.)

Garcia noted that appearing in the news is different from promoting oneself for a campaign. He also said that a poll aspirant being part of the news should not be taken against them.

“At the same time di rin kasama sa tinatawag na bayad o equivalent amount dun sa time na nilabas sa TV,” Garcia added. 

(At the same time, it will not be included in the payment or equivalent amount of time [of their campaign] aired on TV.)

 Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on Wednesday after 215 lawmakers endorsed  foutherth impeachment complaint against her.

The petition was then sent to the Senate for trial on the same day.

However, Senate President Francis Escudero on Thursday said that no impeachment trial against Duterte will be held while the Congress is on break. The session resumes on June 2. 

Garcia also shared that for campaign advertisements aired on television, national candidates are given 120 minutes of air time per station while 60 minutes per station are given to local candidates.

For radio advertisements, national candidates are allowed 180 minutes per station while local candidates are allocated 90 minutes per station. 

Garcia previously said that candidates must indicate their campaign spendings in their statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCEs), otherwise, non-reporting of SOCEs will lead to an election offense.

Comelec will also now presume that influencers, content creators, or celebrities are entitled to paid services by candidates they will be endorsing or supporting. 

Garcia reiterated that this is a bid to ensure that the candidates are properly reporting their SOCEs and to give equal opportunity to those who cannot avail the services of such personalities.