Philippines heightens security as election period for 2025 midterms begins
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines entered a five-month-long election period on Sunday midnight, January 12, for the 2025 midterms vote on May 12, signaling the start of additional security protocols to prevent incidents of election-related violence.
The season marks the establishment of Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoints in all towns and cities across the country, manned by police or military personnel.
At the checkpoints, authorities will require motorists to slow down in order to do a visual search of their vehicles, to determine whether they are complying with the prohibition on the bearing, carrying, or transportation of firearms and other deadly weapons.
The gun ban lasts until the end of the election period on June 11, which means that within the five-month period, only government officials with automatic exemptions and those who secured permits from the Comelec are allowed to carry firearms.
The heightened security follows expectations of spikes in incidents of violence as voting day approaches.
So far, the Comelec has marked 38 localities as “red areas,” indicating grave security risks that may prompt the commission to put them under its control if the peace and order situation worsens.
Also prohibited during election period are the following:
- Use of security personnel or bodyguards by candidate, unless authorized in writing by the Comelec
- Alteration of territory of a precinct or establishment of a new precinct
- Transfer or detail of officers and employees in the civil service, except upon prior approval of the Comelec
- Organization or maintenance of reaction forces, strike forces, or similar forces
- Suspension of elective provincial, city, municipal, or barangay officer without prior approval of the Comelec
Not the campaign period yet
While the election period has begun, the official campaign period is still a month away.
Candidates for national elective posts will be formally allowed to woo voters beginning February 11; for local elective aspirants, campaign period does not start until March 28.
It is only during the campaign period that candidates are subjected to Comelec regulations. Because the Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that aspirants for elective office are not considered candidates until the campaign period begins, no law prevents them from wooing voters in advance, thereby enabling premature campaigning.
The poll body has said time and again that it has no power to go after premature campaigners in the absence of a law.
“Slow down a bit. Let’s not underestimate the intelligence of our fellow countrymen. Filipinos are very smart. They know when they are being deceived. They also know when their kindness is being taken advantage of,” Chairman George Garcia said last week, appealing to elective aspirants. – Rappler.com