(Photo grabbed from panaynews.net)
CLARK FREEPORT – Pres. Duterte has vowed to “hold accountable” any official who would restrict the issuance of permits to peaceably assemble and hold campaign rallies, marches and motorcade in connection with the May polls next year.
In a statement issued via the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President is “conveying to the nation his steadfast and unwavering commitment to strictly enforce the election laws to ensure a clean, honest and fair elections reflective of the genuine will of the electorate.”
“The right to hold a campaign rally will be unhampered,” the statement said.
Panelo said “the President assures the citizenry that the government will not tolerate off ending practices that give undue advantage to a candidate or group of candidates.”
He said Duterte “guarantees that all laws will be implemented and applied to everyone regardless of political color or position.’
Panelo again reiterated the position of the President that “not a single centavo from the taxpayers’ money nor any government property will be spent or used for or against a candidate.”
“The right to hold a campaign rally will be unhampered. Any official that restricts the issuance of permits to peaceably assemble and to hold campaign rallies, marches and motorcades shall be held accountable before the law,” Panelo said.
He stressed that” the President respects the right of suffrage as the hallmark of our democracy.”
“The government will thus act accordingly to protect the sanctity of the ballot and ensure that those who will win will be proclaimed winners without delay unless restrained by the courts,” Panelo added.
Since he took over as presidential spokesperson, Panelo has been issuing statements distributed not only to the Malacanang Press Corps but also to provincial media via the PIA.
