MMFFP exec asks Comelec to exempt showbiz people from election ban

11/05/2009

The executive committee of the Metro Manila Film Festival of the Philippines (MMFFP) yesterday appealed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt actors and actresses running for public office in the 2010 elections from the election ban.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, concurrently the MMFFP executive committee’s chairman, made the appeal in a bid to preclude some of the official entries to this year’s film festival, and starred by actor-candidates, from being adversely affected by the Comelec ban.

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal earlier had said showbiz personalities with political ambitions in 2010 need not abandon their shows after filing their certificates of candidacy as long as they would not use their appearances to campaign for themselves.

“They can’t openly campaign for themselves, but that should not prevent them from earning a livelihood before the campaign period,” he said.

Section 80 of the Omnibus Election Code prohibits “any person, whether or not a voter or candidate, or for any party, or association of persons, from engaging in an election campaign or partisan political activity, except during the campaign period.”

Since the campaign period is yet to start, the Comelec official said showbiz personalities can’t be considered as an official candidates.

The Comelec will come up with an advisory containing the guidelines for actor-politicians next week.

Two of the official entries to the 35th edition of the annual MMFF festival is “Panday” whose lead role is once again being portrayed by Sen. Bong Revilla and “Wapakman” top-billed by world boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao.

The other official entries to the MMFF 2009 are “Juan” starring Dolphy and Willie Revillame; “Mano Po 6: My Mother” starring Sharon Cuneta; “Ang Darling Kong Aswang” starring Vic Sotto; “Shake, Rattle & Roll 11” starring Ruffa Gutierrez, and “I Love You, Goodbye” starring Gabby Concepcion, Angelica Panganiban, Derek Ramsay and Kim Chiu.

“The producers of these films have already invested so much for their projects and the only way for them to recoup this is to allow their films to be shown in public,” the MMDA chief said.

In the case of Bong Revilla, he said allowing the senator to appear in his movie will not really make any distinct political advantage. Pat C. Santos

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