Election lawyer slams depiction of 'premature campaign' in 'Batang Quiapo'
An election lawyer urged the Commission on Elections to "educate" the production team of Batang Quiapo following the release of an episode that "misrepresented" campaign practices.
Romulo Macalintal was referring to the March 5 episode of the ABS-CBN teleserye, which showed the fictitious Manila Mayor Roberto Guerrero (Albert Martinez) arguing with his sister, Vice Mayor Olivia Guerrero-Torres (Chanda Romero), at the municipal hall.
Before their tension, Roberto bumped into Olivia's son and his nephew, Iñigo (Albie Casiño), who was holding a campaign flyer about her anticipated run as mayor. Roberto crumpled it and stormed her office.
"Hindi mo dapat dineklara 'yan sa lahat," he said. "Bakit mo pinangungunahan ang papa? Hintayin mo ang kaniyang sasabihin. Wala pa siyang official announcement. At saka itong ginagawa mo, premature campaigning."
"Hindi ako nangangampanya," Olivia responded. "This is just a test print na di ko alam paano nakarating sa kamay mo. I know the election rules, and I'm not going to break them."
Roberto walked out of Olivia's office, but not before slamming the stacks of flyers and other campaign materials.
Macalintal, in a statement, pointed out that “there is no law prohibiting premature campaigning in the country."
He noted that candidates officially assume their status only at the start of the campaign period, hence Comelec cannot regulate early ads.
According to him, such a "misinformation" might mislead Filipinos. He also warned against inaccurate portrayals on television, especially since the midterm elections are near.
Macalintal also mentioned the incident involving Heart Aquino, a 20-year-old contestant on the noontime show It's Showtime. On the show's Feb. 28 episode, Aquino claimed having "limited" knowledge about the poll body, prompting host Vice Ganda to lament the "educational crisis" in the country.
Comelec invited Aquino for a guided tour in its office in Intramuros to educate her.
Macalintal said the Batang Quiapo team should get a similar invite.
“Thus, like that beauty contestant," he said, "the producer of Batang Quiapo and Martinez should also be invited by the Comelec to its office to ‘educate’ them of election laws and rules especially now that the new storyline of Batang Quiapo has shifted to election as its main attraction."
“It is the responsibility of Batang Quiapo producers to see to it that its viewers get the right and correct information about our election rules so as not to cause any confusion among the electorate on such an important and sensitive issue and other election-related matters,” Macalintal added.
He also called out the teleserye's depiction of firearms, noting that Comelec has a gun ban in place during the election period. The ban lasts from Jan. 12 to June 11.
The midterm elections are set to take place on May 12. Overseas Filipinos may vote from April 13 to May 12, while local absentees—Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and media practitioners—may vote from April 28 to 30.
There will be a total of 18,272 national and local positions in the upcoming elections.
Campaign period began on Feb. 11.
