The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday, March 22, said that the incumbent official of Negros Oriental, who figured in a viral video raining down P500 bills on spectators, “did not technically commit a violation” of election laws.

“Hindi pa covered ng election laws kung tutuusin,” said Comelec Chairman George Garcia in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB regarding the act committed by the province official in question, who is also an aspirant.

Garcia added that the province official is not yet considered a candidate, only an “aspirant” since the campaign period for local elective posts — on March 28 — has not yet started.

He also cited a Supreme Court decision, or the so-called Peñera Doctrine, which stated that a person who filed a certificate of candidacy can only be considered a candidate only when the campaign period begins, thereby subjecting them to election laws.

Nevertheless, he said residents or the Department of the Interior and Local Government can still file a complaint.

“Pwede rin sino mang residente o nakatira o sino mang indibidwal na taga-doon, pwedeng mag-file ng complaint,” he said.

“Ang pakiusap natin sa mga botante, na kapag ang mga kumakandidato, incumbent man o hindi, ay ganyan ang pinaggagawa — nasa kanila kung gusto nilang iboto ang ganyang mga tao, na inaabuso ang kahirapan ng ilang mamamayan,” he added. (GMA Integrated News)