The Capitol has not enlisted the aid of government employees in conducting partisan activities amid the official campaign period for the May 13 polls, said Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II.
“For the past three elections, 2013, 2016 and karong mga panahona wa g’yud ta mo-tolerate og mga ingana. Gawas na dunay civil service na rule or law nga naghatag og guidance kalabot niana, bawal pud based on Comelec resolutions,” Damalerio said.
According to Damalerio, the Provincial Human Resources and Management Development Office has been tasked to monitor government employees to keep them from engaging in partisan activities.
“Gi-bawalan ang national government employees, provincial, municipal or city labina tong mga plantilla permanent items nga manghilabot sa kalihukang politikanhon,” he added.
Earlier, Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala reminded government employees, excluding those holding political offices, that Section 261 (i) of the Omnibus Election Code prohibits “intervention of Public Officers and Employees” in political activities.
“No officer or employee in the civil service, as well as any member of the military, shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any electioneering or partisan political activity, except to vote,” said dela Rosa-Bala.
In a statement to GMA News, dela Rosa-Bala said that government employees are also barred from campaigning even on social media.
They may air their preferred candidate but not ask others to vote for anyone.
“Kung sabihin [mo] kung sino ang iboboto [mo], that’s not covered because that’s part of your expression of your choice for the positions being voted for… ‘Pag sinabi mong ‘I’m voting for Candidate X,’ that’s not part of the coverage. [Pero iba] if you’re asking, ‘Please vote for the candidate I’m voting for,” she said.
Government employees however are allowed to engage in social media functions such as “liking, commenting, sharing, reposting, or following a candidate or party’s account.”
They are also allowed to express their views on current political problems or issues, as well as mention the name of the candidates or parties they support. (RT)