Campaign ends at midnight
Liquor ban on tomorrow
By E. T. SUAREZ

The campaign period officially ends at midnight today for more than 100,000 candidates for national and local positions at stake on Monday as well as for sectoral organizations in the first party-list elections.

Chairman Bernardo P. Pardo of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that under Comelec en banc Resolution 2946-A, campaigning is strictly prohibited on Sunday and on
election day itself.

Pardo warned that campaigning after the end of the campaign period is an election offense for which the offender could be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but not
more than six years and shall not be subject to probation.

``In addition, the guilty party shall be sentenced to suffer disqualification to hold public office and deprivation of the right of suffrage,'' Pardo said.

Commissioner Manolo B. Gorospe, chairman of the Comelec first division and head of the information and education committee, said that under the Omnibus Election Code, the
term ``election campaign'' or ``partisan political activity'' refers to an act designed to promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or candidates to a public office.

Gorospe said that public expressions or opinions or discussions of probable issues in a forthcoming election are not to be construed as part of any election campaign or partisan
political activities.

The campaign period for those running for president, vice president, vice president, and senators as well as for organizations participating in the party-list elections started Feb. 10, while those running for members of the House of Representtives and local elective posts started March 28. The campaign period for all ends midnight today.

Gorospe said that the liquor ban also takes effect tomorrow. The ban means the selling, furnishing, offering, buying, serving, or taking of intoxicating liquor are strictly prohibited.

``The giving, accepting free transportation, food, drinks and things of value are also prohibited on Sunday and on Monday,'' Pardo said.

Teachers

Some 500,000 public school teachers in the polling places on Monday are required to bring back the ballot boxes to the municipal or city treasurer's office.

Commission on Elections Executive Director Resurrecion Borra said yesterday: ``These ballot boxes are too important to just let anyone with vested interest to carry them to the treasurer's office for these boxes can be considered as sacred as these contain the choice and voice of the people.''

Borra said that the teachers must also ask for receipts from the treasurer's office for them to claim their per diem of P800.

He said that the liquor ban will be implemented tomorrow and Monday.

Cockfighting will be prohibited on Monday. (Eddee Rh. Castro)