Comelec to look into CHED chair’s reported candidate endorsement

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday gave assurance that it would look into the issue raised by Kontra Daya against Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Prospero de Vera III for allegedly endorsing a vice presidential candidate and five others for senator at a virtual forum.

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said he would contact Kontra Daya convenor professor Danilo Arao to get information on the allegations they made against De Vera.

Laudiangco, who is also the head of the commission’s Law Department, said that he personally has not received a copy of the complaint.

“I will get in touch with him (Dr. Arao) so we can start with the process. We are thankful to him for bringing this to our attention,” he said.

According to a news report, Arao said De Vera allegedly made the endorsement as part of the sixth episode of CHED’s PILI-PinaSkolar Halalan series of voter’s education forums aired through Facebook Live.

He reportedly endorsed Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio who is running for vice president, and senatorial candidates Gringo Honasan, Gilbert Teodoro, Manny Piñol, Loren Legarda and Herbert Bautista in his Facebook account.

Laudiangco said that if it is true that government resources were used to endorse these candidates, this might qualify as an election offense.