ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 15 Mar) – Philippine jail officials on Thursday reminded prison guards to stay away from politics and remain neutral in the mid-year elections.
"I have already issued a memorandum to all my jail personnel in the field instructing them to strictly stay apolitical by observing neutrality and refrain from engaging in partisan political activities, except to vote," said Senior Superintendent Abraham Pil Lintao, regional director of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
The BJMP has sent out memoranda on all its personnel about the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) guidelines and regulations implementing the Republic Act No. 9006 also known as the "Fair Election Act".
Insp. Belsie Agustin, BJMP chief of operations and spokesman, said they have ordered all jail wardens to refrain from influencing their subordinates as to who to vote in the coming polls.
"The Fair Election Act stringently disallows a direct or indirect solicitation of votes or support for or against any candidate, and influencing the choices to be made by their personnel constitute violation," Agustin said.
Under the law, any person found guilty of the election offense shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one 1 year, but not more than six 6 years and shall not be subject for probation and worse, violators would be disqualified to hold public office and his right of suffrage, Agustin said. (Joel Zanoria)
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