Sunday, October 11, 2015

Civil servants are not allowed to participate in any partisan political activity.



See - http://www.mb.com.ph/civil-servants-not-allowed-in-any-political-activity-comelec/


"x x x.

Civil servants are not allowed to participate in any partisan political activity, including the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

In an interview, Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said that existing laws and the Constitution, prohibit any participation of civil servants in any political activity, including campaigning.

“Civil servants are not allowed to participate in partisan politics, cannot engage in partisan political activities, which means that they cannot come out to support a particular candidate,” he said.

However, Jimenez said appointed government employees and officials are not covered by the said prohibition.

The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) agreed with Jimenez as it urged civil servants to refrain from joining the filing of COCs which is from October 12 to 16.

“They are not allowed to join filing of COCs because that’s a partisan activity. They cannot engage in partisan activities,” Atty. Rona Ann Caritos, LENTE Executive Director, said.


Section 2(4), Article IX-B of the 1987 Constitution provides that “no officer or employee in the civil service shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any electioneering or partisan political activity”.


The Omnibus Election Code (OEC) furthers that any officer or employee in the civil service, except those holding political offices, engaged in any partisan political activity, except to vote, is committing an election offense.


An election offense carries a penalty of one to six years imprisonment, removal of right to suffrage, and disqualification from holding public office.

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Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/civil-servants-not-allowed-in-any-political-activity-comelec/#zoPX0pOVTGo7OOBB.99