CELEBRITIES WHO HAVE endorsed politicians can still appear in their television and radio shows as long as they do not voice support for their bets, pending the Commission on Elections’ clarification on the law mandating that they take a leave of absence during the campaign period, a poll official said Friday.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan said he and his megastar wife, Sharon Cuneta, were concerned about the Comelec’s prohibition of celebrity endorsements of candidates running in the May polls.
The couple have come out to support Liberal Party standard bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Pangilinan, whose term as senator ends in 2013, is in charge of the party’s senatorial slates and thus, actively campaigns for them.
He said he believed Comelec might have “overstepped” its authority, stressing that during the 2007 polls the ban against celebrity endorsements of candidates was not implemented.
“And now [Comelec] is amending it,” he said, adding that amending the law was a legislative function.
Rebuke
Elections Commissioner Rene Sarmiento chastised politicians who depend on actors and celebrities in their campaigns, saying this pushes the discussion of issues and platforms to the background.
In defense of his fellow celebrities, administration vice presidential candidate Edu Manzano asked the Comelec to reconsider its resolution requiring media personalities endorsing candidates to go on leave.
Pending the Comelec’s final ruling, Manzano has forbidden several endorsers from show biz, including his actor-son Luis Manzano, from joining his sorties.
Manzano, through his lawyer Romulo Macalintal, filed a motion with the Comelec asking that it reconsider its resolution and, pending its ruling, suspend its implementation.
He argued that the resolution was discriminatory to media personalities, would deprive them of income, and violated their freedom of expression.
The Comelec had issued a resolution requiring mass media columnist, announcer or personality to take a leave of absence if he or she is a campaign volunteer, or is retained in any capacity by a candidate.
The body cited Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Election Act of 2001 as basis.
Hurting celebrities
Manzano, running mate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro, said if the ban is implemented, it would unduly deprive TV and movie stars of income.
“There are more artists than job opportunities. If they’re sidelined, it’s easy for the industry to hire others. After the elections, they won’t have any job to go back to,” he said.
Manzano, who once headed the Actors Guild of the Philippines, admitted that he got calls from talent managers seeking assistance about the Comelec resolution.
The ban, he said, would hurt most of the celebrities who have volunteered to campaign for him, including his son Luis (host of variety show “ASAP”), and actors Joel Torre, Al Tantay, Cherie Gil and Ryan Eigenmann, among others, he said.
Issues, not personalities
Because the issue has become so important in the 2010 campaign, with some presidential candidates boasting of big-name endorsers, Commissioner Sarmiento said the poll body was inclined to issue guidelines on celebrity appearances.
Pending the Comelec decision, he advised celebrities to continue with their work, but to refrain from urging their audience to support candidates.
Celebrities should also beg off from joining campaign sorties. Even if they only perform to entertain crowds, their mere presence could mean an “implicit” support for the candidate, Sarmiento said.
The poll official assured actors and celebrities that they would not be arrested immediately if they break the law, saying they would be given due process.
Sarmiento, however, chastised politicians for using celebrities to draw in crowds on the campaign trail.
“This should be an issue-oriented political campaign and not personality-oriented,” he said.
Provision too strict
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the Comelec could have basis for its ruling as this was provided for in the Fair Election Law, which amended the Omnibus Election Code.
But Pimentel stressed that this provision should be applied to employees of media outlets “showing excessive bias for or against a particular candidate.”
Nacionalista Party senatorial bet, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., said the Comelec provision was too strict.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who is running for reelection under the NP slate, had a different view. “Even if the actors [insist on the right to] freedom of expression, it is within the power of the state to regulate the society for the good of the majority,” she said.
Wanted: Thinking endorsers
Independent presidential candidate Nicanor Perlas said he was not above hiring stars and celebrities to be his endorsers.
“But we want someone who knows how to think, and who can talk about particular issues,” Perlas said yesterday. “We want thoughtful, deep people to be associated with our campaign.”
Which was why he was happy to welcome folk-rock musician Joey Ayala to his fold. He said the independent-minded Ayala had sought out his camp and volunteered to contribute in whatever way he could.
Perlas, however, said he agreed with the Comelec when it ordered celebrity endorsers of candidates to take a leave of absence from their work.
“I totally agree with that. It’s an unfair advantage for their candidates especially when they’re seen on TV all the time,” he said.
Perlas said even when celebrities do not talk about their candidates, they could still “subtly endorse” them through verbal hints or the use of symbols, like wearing a yellow ribbon, in the case of Senator Aquino.With a report from Nikko Dizon and DJ Yap
Sen. Francis Pangilinan said he and his megastar wife, Sharon Cuneta, were concerned about the Comelec’s prohibition of celebrity endorsements of candidates running in the May polls.
The couple have come out to support Liberal Party standard bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Pangilinan, whose term as senator ends in 2013, is in charge of the party’s senatorial slates and thus, actively campaigns for them.
He said he believed Comelec might have “overstepped” its authority, stressing that during the 2007 polls the ban against celebrity endorsements of candidates was not implemented.
“And now [Comelec] is amending it,” he said, adding that amending the law was a legislative function.
Rebuke
Elections Commissioner Rene Sarmiento chastised politicians who depend on actors and celebrities in their campaigns, saying this pushes the discussion of issues and platforms to the background.
In defense of his fellow celebrities, administration vice presidential candidate Edu Manzano asked the Comelec to reconsider its resolution requiring media personalities endorsing candidates to go on leave.
Pending the Comelec’s final ruling, Manzano has forbidden several endorsers from show biz, including his actor-son Luis Manzano, from joining his sorties.
Manzano, through his lawyer Romulo Macalintal, filed a motion with the Comelec asking that it reconsider its resolution and, pending its ruling, suspend its implementation.
He argued that the resolution was discriminatory to media personalities, would deprive them of income, and violated their freedom of expression.
The Comelec had issued a resolution requiring mass media columnist, announcer or personality to take a leave of absence if he or she is a campaign volunteer, or is retained in any capacity by a candidate.
The body cited Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Election Act of 2001 as basis.
Hurting celebrities
Manzano, running mate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro, said if the ban is implemented, it would unduly deprive TV and movie stars of income.
“There are more artists than job opportunities. If they’re sidelined, it’s easy for the industry to hire others. After the elections, they won’t have any job to go back to,” he said.
Manzano, who once headed the Actors Guild of the Philippines, admitted that he got calls from talent managers seeking assistance about the Comelec resolution.
The ban, he said, would hurt most of the celebrities who have volunteered to campaign for him, including his son Luis (host of variety show “ASAP”), and actors Joel Torre, Al Tantay, Cherie Gil and Ryan Eigenmann, among others, he said.
Issues, not personalities
Because the issue has become so important in the 2010 campaign, with some presidential candidates boasting of big-name endorsers, Commissioner Sarmiento said the poll body was inclined to issue guidelines on celebrity appearances.
Pending the Comelec decision, he advised celebrities to continue with their work, but to refrain from urging their audience to support candidates.
Celebrities should also beg off from joining campaign sorties. Even if they only perform to entertain crowds, their mere presence could mean an “implicit” support for the candidate, Sarmiento said.
The poll official assured actors and celebrities that they would not be arrested immediately if they break the law, saying they would be given due process.
Sarmiento, however, chastised politicians for using celebrities to draw in crowds on the campaign trail.
“This should be an issue-oriented political campaign and not personality-oriented,” he said.
Provision too strict
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the Comelec could have basis for its ruling as this was provided for in the Fair Election Law, which amended the Omnibus Election Code.
But Pimentel stressed that this provision should be applied to employees of media outlets “showing excessive bias for or against a particular candidate.”
Nacionalista Party senatorial bet, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., said the Comelec provision was too strict.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who is running for reelection under the NP slate, had a different view. “Even if the actors [insist on the right to] freedom of expression, it is within the power of the state to regulate the society for the good of the majority,” she said.
Wanted: Thinking endorsers
Independent presidential candidate Nicanor Perlas said he was not above hiring stars and celebrities to be his endorsers.
“But we want someone who knows how to think, and who can talk about particular issues,” Perlas said yesterday. “We want thoughtful, deep people to be associated with our campaign.”
Which was why he was happy to welcome folk-rock musician Joey Ayala to his fold. He said the independent-minded Ayala had sought out his camp and volunteered to contribute in whatever way he could.
Perlas, however, said he agreed with the Comelec when it ordered celebrity endorsers of candidates to take a leave of absence from their work.
“I totally agree with that. It’s an unfair advantage for their candidates especially when they’re seen on TV all the time,” he said.
Perlas said even when celebrities do not talk about their candidates, they could still “subtly endorse” them through verbal hints or the use of symbols, like wearing a yellow ribbon, in the case of Senator Aquino.With a report from Nikko Dizon and DJ Yap
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