MIRIAM: PREMATURE CAMPAIGNING A DEPLORABLE TREND

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago warned of the rise of a culture of impunity among senators, cabinet members, local government officials, and other public officials who are blatantly violating the law against premature campaigning.

"If this deplorable trend continues, all potential candidates for local and national offices will start campaigning simply through insidious infomercials and commercials," she said.

Santiago filed a resolution Tuesday seeking a public investigation of funds used for alleged TV infomercials by certain local and national officials planning to run either for the Senate or the presidency.

"If they are using public funds, they are guilty of malversation," she said.

Santiago said the public officials concerned may also be guilty of premature campaigning.

"It is public knowledge that some of the public officials featured in the infomercials have already manifested their intention to seek for elective office in the 2010 national elections," she added.

Santiago mentioned in her resolution the following infomercials as possible cases of malversation of public funds and/or premature campaigning:

• a disaster preparedness infomercial featuring an official from the Department of National Defense;

• a health infomercial featuring a Department of Health official;

• a tax payment infomercial featuring officials from the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Internal Revenue;

• a skills training infomercial with an official from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda);

• an infomercial on government programs with an official from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor);

• an infomercial about the founding anniversary of the City of Makati featuring a Makati local government official;

• a mass housing infomercial with a high-ranking government official; and

• infomercials in movie theaters involving an official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA);

"The disaster preparedness infomercial was even shown numerous times during the Pacquiao-Hatton fight broadcast on a major television network," she said. "I wonder how many millions of pesos of public or private funds were spent for the broadcast alone."

"The Election Code bans and penalizes the election offense of premature campaigning. TV informercials are a pathetic way of seeking to go around the ban," she said.

Last year, Santiago filed a petition with the Comelec to stop reelectionist senators from appearing as alleged commercial models of certain products advertised on billboards and on television.

Santiago's resolution cited senators who appeared in billboards and television commercials hawking a whole gamut of commercial products ranging from laundry detergents, a skin care center, a bath soap, a skin whitener, to a health supplement, weight loss clinic, and instant noodles. There were also senators who appeared in infomercials on poverty alleviation, cheaper medicines, protection of overseas Filipino workers, and of the environment.

The Comelec dismissed her petition, prompting her to elevate it to the Supreme Court where it is pending

"Public officials with greater connections and deeper pockets have resorted to all means possible to popularize themselves and gain a decidedly advantageous position for the 2010 national elections," Santiago said. "This is in blatant violation of the policy behind our election laws to even the playing field for candidates, rich and poor."

On the allegation that she is just jealous because she has no commercial endorsements, Santiago said: "I'd rather be known as a good senator than a good endorser."