THE official campaign period for the 2022 elections starts this week.  And to see it take off is fraught with fears not only of renewed violence between political camps in the province, in districts and towns and cities but of widespread violation of Covid health protocols by the candidates abetted by unwillingness or helplessness of health authorities to control these.

The country is still under siege by the deadly, transmissible Covid variants but this thought will expectedly be forgotten and set aside to give way to traditional campaign habits – barnstorming in all barangays, public rallies with entertainment, motorcades distribution of goodies, queuing of voters for financial help, etc.

No doubt, there will be the hypocritical conduct of covenant signing for peace in every town and city that most candidates ignore as they carry on, refusing to take responsibility for their supporters misdeeds.

But these is something significantly important that local Comelec officials can bring to the campaign: To require all candidates to name at least two persons who can be held accountable for the enforcement of health and distancing protocols during their campaign activities. Then a briefing by the police and Comelec should be done to explain their responsibilities and the penalties prescribed by local ordinances for violations by joining or attending the campaign activity.

If Comelec and police can’t fully control campaign activities, they should at least make that single effort to make sure the campaign period will not result in another Covid surge.

Comelec comedy

COMMISSIONER Aimee Ferolino of the Comelec (Commission on Elections) knew that fellow Commissioner Rowena Guanzon would be retiring on Feb. 2.  As a result of Guanzon’s retirement, Guanzon’s decision to disqualify Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a presidential candidate wouldn’t mean a thing per Comelec rules.  But people ask:  Did Ferolino, as the assigned author of the verdict, deliberately skip writing the decision to render Guanzon’s vote totally meaningless?  The persistent rumor is that Ferolino does not want to disqualify Marcos.  Unlike Guanzon, the third commissioner of the Comelec’s First Division presided over by Guanzon did not publicly disclose his vote on the Marcos DQ (disqualification) issue.  While Guanzon’s outbursts against Ferolino’s continuing no-decision stance grabbed headlines, the Marcos DQ case will only have its final resolution at the Supreme Court.

When will that happen, only God knows.

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