The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Occidental has served show-cause orders against 73 candidates in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) for allegedly being involved in premature campaigning.

“The Task Force Anti-Epal sent the show-cause orders along with the evidence submitted,” Comelec-NegOcc elections supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said.

He said the involved candidates would submit their answers directly to the task force.

The provincial poll body did not mention the positions the candidates are running for the BSKE on October 30.

Of the total number, 40 candidates were from E.B. Magalona town and 10 were from capital Bacolod City.

Others were from the cities of Himamaylan (with eight), Bago (six), Victorias (four), Kabankalan and Sipalay (two each), and La Carlota (one).

Ananoria said displaying banners or streamers with the candidate’s name and face can also be considered premature campaigning.

He added that the acts of alleged premature campaigning also include giving out money, distributing groceries, and soliciting campaign support from barangay officials.

Political aspirants involved in campaigning prematurely could face administrative and criminal cases and disqualification in violation of Sections 80 and 82 of the Omnibus Election Code.

Earlier, Ananoria told poll candidates not to engage in early campaigning, and to wait for the official campaign period from October 19 to 28.

“It will be the campaign period soon, then you can do all the campaigning you want,” he said./With reports from PNA / WDJ