When presidential campaigns violate health protocols, cite them!

EVERY candidate in the upcoming 2022 elections offer themselves to help solve the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet it seems all of them, though in varying degrees, have violated provisions of the health protocols issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), and Resolution 10732 issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) defining the guidelines for in-person campaigns, rallies, caucuses, meetings and conventions, motorcades and caravans, and miting de avance under the new normal. And we saw these violations parading before our very eyes on the first day of the campaign on February 8 during the proclamation rallies and the events leading to it.

Most common is the violation of Section 4 of Comelec Resolution 10732, which states that all persons participating in election campaigns in whatever capacity should wear both masks and face shields. While the IATF-EID has already made the wearing of face shields optional, Comelec has reiterated that it would still be mandatory for in-person campaign activities. It is apparent that this was violated by almost all with no exception, considering that while most wore masks, we did not see people wearing face shields.

It is noteworthy to commend the campaign of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his running mate Sara Duterte, who held their proclamation rally in the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, an enclosed indoor venue, for ensuring that only those who were fully vaccinated were allowed entry. Adequate measures were also taken to observe the 50-percent maximum of the total seating capacity as prescribed in Section 12, letter b of Resolution 10732 for areas under Alert Level 2 in which Bulacan is categorized. The Marcos campaign reported an attendance of 25,000, which is less than 50 percent of 55,000 maximum capacity of the arena. However, face shields were visibly not worn by the attendees, and some on stage, including Marcos Jr. and Duterte, did not wear masks.

The proclamation rally of Sen. Panfilo Lacson can also be commended for visibly spacing out the seating arrangement to ensure physical distancing, but again, the face shield policy was not strictly observed. The rally of Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso and Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao also failed to comply with the face shield mandate. The rally of Leodegario de Guzman also violated the face shield requirement in addition to having no approved permit.

The campaign of Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo and Sen. Francis Pangilinan, however, would get the highest number of citations for violations of the health protocols. The proclamation rally of the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem was held in an outdoor venue in Naga City, which is under Alert Level 3. Pursuant to Section 12, letter b of Resolution 10732, the outdoor venue should have been enclosed, which as defined in Section 1, letter i, must have been surrounded by a perimeter fence or a similar barrier and with a controllable point of ingress and egress. Such requirements were not complied with, as there was no perimeter fence surrounding the venue, and there was no controllable point of ingress and egress.

The size of the Naga City crowd also appeared to have violated the maximum allowed under Resolution 10732. The venue and the surrounding areas have an estimated maximum capacity of between 10,000 to 15,000 people. Reports from the Robredo campaign and from media estimated the crowd that attended her proclamation rally at between 15,000 to 20,000, a range which exceeded 50 percent of the maximum capacity as prescribed in Section 12, letter b of the Resolution.

In addition, images taken from the rally showed the presence of children, which is a violation of Section 5 of Resolution 10732, which prohibited the attendance of those below 18 years old in any election campaign activity. There was also no check for vaccination status conducted to ensure that only fully vaccinated persons were in attendance as required by IATF-EID rules. Furthermore, IATF-EID rules prohibited the holding of live concerts and performances in any venue in areas under Alert Level 3. This was not observed when Rivermaya performed during the proclamation rally.

As if the list of violations of the Robredo campaign during the proclamation rally was not enough, there was also this campaign-related event, held in her alma mater, the Universidad de Santa Isabel, prior to the rally held in an indoor venue. Section 12, letter b, of Resolution 10732 allows only enclosed outdoor venues for areas under Alert Level 3 in which Naga City is categorized.

It is also clear in Section 5 of the resolution that persons above 65 years old, and those with comorbidities, immunodeficiencies, and other health risks are not allowed to participate in any rally, caucus, conference, motorcade or caravan. There is no evidence as to whether all the campaigns strictly observed this even as it behooves us to ask if this applies even to candidates, some of whom are either above 65 or have health risks or both.

While there are operational issues on the applicability of these protocols that would require a reevaluation, it is the responsibility of authorities to ensure that these guidelines are observed. The IATF-EID must insist that the health protocols be followed, lest people get the impression that the implementation is selective and only applies to ordinary people and not when it involves political campaigns.

More importantly, it is the duty of each campaign to ensure that rules are followed. They cannot argue that the protocols are logistically difficult to implement. They cannot on one hand promise voters that they will solve the problems unleashed by Covid-19 and on the other, fail to ensure that their campaign activities will not become superspreader events. They cannot run on a platform of good governance if they run their campaigns by violating health protocols and hoping to get away with it.

The call is for pertinent authorities, both local and national, to cite violations the same way ordinary citizens are cited.

Source: TheManila Times