The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned aspirants of an existing law, Public Assembly Act or BP (Batas Pambansa) 880, that could be used in holding political gatherings amid the weak policy on early campaigning.

DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya added that the prohibition on mass gathering due to the pandemic will also serve as a booster in running after aspirants who would disregard the rule on political gatherings for the 2022 elections.

“At sa next year pa daw po ang campaign period so ang sumasaklaw pong batas na puwedeng implement ng ating pamahalaan ay Public Assembly Act or BP (Batas Pambansa) 880 (The campaign period is still next year so the law that covers this for the government to implement is the Public Assembly Act or BP 880,’’ Malaya explained in a news briefing.

He added that the law covered by mass gathering violations during the pandemic is the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Concerns Act otherwise known as Republic Act (RA) 11332.

On Dec. 12, the DILG clarified that the task of the department and other law enforcement agencies is to enforce the guidelines set by the Comelec on any political activity.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año maintained that their role is only to implement existing laws and other regulations based on the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) guidelines.

“So doon tayo sa health protocol aspect pero ang maganda naman nagkaroon na rin tayo ng mga pag uusap at pagbibigay ng talakayan sa mga political parties na ito at sila naman ay nangako na susunod sa pinag uutos ng batas at ng IATF (So our focus is on the health protocol aspect but the good thing about this is we had a dialogue and exchange of views with the political parties and they promised to follow the law as stipulated in the IATF regulations),’’ Año noted.

Political groups wishing to conduct public gathering or assemblies ned to secure the necessary permits from the concerned local government units (LGUs) prior to organizing and holding the activity.

In the areas affected by Typhoon: Odette, Malaya said that preemptive evacuation is one of the directives issued by Año to the local government units (LGUs) particularly to the places where the weather disturbance will traverse.

Earlier, Año issued an order compelling the local chief executives (LCE) to impose the department’s Oplan: Listo protocols particularly in the areas of the CARAGA Region, Southern Leyte, Region 6, whole of Negros provinces, Panay Island and Palawan affected by the typhoon.

The DILG spokesperson stressed that the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMC) of the mayors should convene stressing the need for the mayors to be present in their irrespective jurisdictions.

“Kailangan po may preemptive evacuation doon sa mga lugar na susceptible to storm surge, floods and landslides at kailangan po yung mga communication lines ay bukas din and finally yung no fishing policy ay iniimplement po natin (There should be a preemptive evacuation in the places susceptible to storm surge, floods and landslides and the communication lines should be open and finally the fishing policy should be implemented),’’ Malaya stressed.

Under the DILG’s Oplan:Listo protocols, Malaya said the DRRMCs, Philippine national Police (PNP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) should be on alert to provide assistance to the public during distressed times. (Chito A. Chavez)