News peg: “Comelec to open citizens’ watch vs poll violators”. The Comelec said today that it wold come out with an advertisement  that  would encourage the public to report election law violations of the Fair Election Act and its IRR, Comelec Resolution 9615, before Feb. 12, the start of the campaign period.

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 By the way, Comelec Resolution 9615 has a “right to reply”  provision as follows:

COMELEC Resolution 9615 as amended Feb. 1, 2013:

“SECTION 14.  Right  to Reply.  – All registered political parties, party-list  groups or coalitions and bona fide  candidates shall  have  the  right  to  reply  to  charges  published  or  aired against  them.  The  reply  shall  be  given  publicity  by  the newspaper, television, and/or radio station which first printed or aired the charges with  the same prominence  or in the same page or section or in the same time slot as the first statement.

Registered  political  parties,   partv-list  groups  or coalitions  and  bona fide candidates may  invoke  the right  to reply  by submitting within  a non-extendible period  of  forty-eight (48) hours from the  first broadcast or publication,  a formal verified  claim  against the  media  outlet  to  the  COMELEC,  through  the  appropriate  RED.  The  claim  shall  include  a detailed  enumeration .of  the  circumstances  and occurrences which warrant the invocation of  the right of  reply and must be accompanied by supporting   evidence, such as a copy of  the publication  or recording of  the television  or radio broadcast, as  the  case  may  be .   If  the supporting evidence is  not  yet available  due  to  circumstances beyond  the  power  of  the . claimant, the latter shall supplement his claim as soon as the supporting evidence becomes available, without delay on the part of  the claimant.  The claimant must likewise furnish a copy of  the verified claim  and its attachments to  the media outlet  concerned  prior  to  the  filing  of  the  claim  with  the COMELEC.

    “The  COMELEC,  through  the  RED,  shall  review  the verified  claim  within . forty-eight  (48)  hours  from  receipt  thereof,  including supporting  evidence, and if  circumstances warrant,  give  notice  to  the  media  outlet  involved  for appropriate  action, which shall, within forty-eight  (48) hours, submit  its  comment,  answer  or  response  to  the  RED, explaining  the action it has taken to address the claim.  The media  outlet  must  likewise  furnish  a  copy   of  the  said comment,  answer  or response  to  the  claimant  invoking the right to reply. Should the claimant insist that his/her right to reply was not addressed, he/she may file the appropriate petition and/or complaint  before  the  Commission  on  elections  or  its field offices,  which  shall  be  endorsed  to  the  Clerk  of  the Commission.”