By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Negros Occidental elections officer, Atty. Ian Lee Anonoria, said yesterday that they do not yet have any jurisdiction over all candidates until the local and national campaign period begins.

According to Anonoria, they can regulate their activities during the campaign period, but prior to that, it’s part of their constitutional right to freedom of expression.

“Candidates can still put up billboards, posters, streamers, advertisements, and conduct campaign activities without being subjected to Comelec rules,” he explained.

He said the candidates’ activities cannot be considered premature campaigning unless the law is amended.

Anonoria added that those who filed their candidacies are not yet considered candidates but “aspirants.”

They will only be called candidates when the campaign period starts which is set to begin on February 8 for national officials and March 25 for local officials, with the campaign period ending on May 7./DGB, WDJ