Comelec’s rented building to replace red, green lights

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections has coordinated with the Intramuros Administration (IA) to replace the red and green lights on the Palacio del Gobernador building, where the Comelec rents several floors.

“The Comelec is a tenant in that building, which is under the management of (the) Office of the President. I have been told that the building’s administration is planning to swap out these ones for differently colored lights,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said in a Twitter post yesterday.

He said the IA will now take down the building’s “Christmas colors,” an incident he described as “no big deal.”

The color red is associated with presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the color green with his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Guillermo Asido, who heads the IA, said the Comelec had nothing to do with setting up the colored lights.

“There was never any intent or malice in the placement of those lights, more so in the choice of colors … in fairness to the Comelec, they are only tenants in the building,” Asido said in a text message to The STAR.

Asido said that they have called the attention of the Palacio del Gobernador Condominium, the building administrator, to address the concern.