2013 bets pull stunts during All Saints’ holidays

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the repeated calls of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and civil society groups, many candidates pulled various stunts to promote themselves to voters during All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.

Vincent Lazatin, co-founder of the No More Epal Campaign movement, said they received reports from members and concerned citizens that many streamers bearing the names and photographs of candidates for the 2013 elections were posted in cemeteries during the holidays.

Epal is short for “mapapel” or people desperately trying to be recognized to promote their candidacies.

“If you see our Facebook account, there are many posts there about this. There was even a cemetery where free wifi service was provided by a candidate,” he told The STAR.

Lazatin, however, could not immediately ascertain the particularly areas and the candidates behind the propaganda.

He said that while candidates have tried to disguise their actions as public service, the large imprints of their names and photographs were enough proof of “epal.”

Many streamers had “Undas 2012” and other reminders for the public to observe caution while in the memorial parks, but the names of the candidates were in far larger fonts.

In some cemeteries,  candidates also provided free rides.

“We really could not take these epals anymore. They don’t have respect for our voters. We won’t ask the voters not to vote for them but I hope they will be more discerning this coming election,” Lazatin noted.

In an interview, Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes echoed Lazatin’s call.

“It’s really the voters who can go after these candidates. While there is really no prohibition on premature campaigning, they should realize that there are some ethical issues in this,” Brillantes added.

Brillantes said that he is leaving it up to civil society groups and concerned citizens to expose epal candidates.