LET’S not be naïve about the gimmickry of our senatorial candidates.
This week, former senator Ernesto Maceda was caught on camera allegedly taking part in a raffle game during one of his provincial sorties. Reports had it that he sponsored the raffle game, although he simply admitted he was asked to pick up the names of the raffle winners.
Earlier on, former senator Jamby Madrigal also found herself in hot water after netizens took issue on her online contest offering a free iPad over Twitter and Facebook to those who would give the best anti-corruption slogans.
These two come-backing senators know too well the country’s election laws as they are old names in Philippine politics – or veteran politicians who have conducted several campaigns that catapulted them to political power.
Such online contests or raffle games, we also know too well, are intended to woo the votes in their favor, although others would consider such offer of monetary prizes as attempts to bride their way to the electorate’s minds and hearts, and hopefully to the ballots.
Let’s admit it though – the tactics of these two senatorial candidates are defensible.
Both Maceda and Madrigal may argue that such online contest or raffle games were orchestrated by their political supporters or campaign workers or even by their political rivals, and therefore, they are defensible under such circumstances.
But let us not buy their lame excuse too easily. Instead, we should remind our national and local candidates about the prohibition against holding of public dances, bingo or raffle games, and other contests designed to , notably Section 97 of the Omnibus Election Code.
Under the law, it is “unlawful for any person to hold dances, lotteries, cockfights, games, boxing bouts, bingo, beauty contests, entertainments, or cinematographic, theatrical or other performances for the purpose of raising funds for an election campaign or for the support of any candidate from the commencement of the election period up to and including election day.”
So this person – whether the candidate’s campaign staff or supporters – should be put to task for making a mockery of our electoral laws. The Commission on Elections should really pursue cases against Maceda and Madrigal or their campaign workers.
We do not think that these gimmickries, if they are done by their campaign volunteers or staff, went without the candidates’ blessings. Some of our politicians have become so shrewd and cunning as they can always skirt around the law.
Too bad for them though, many good people I know are not at all amused and entertained. They know better now.
