The Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia expressed confidence that the May 12  mid-term elections will be peaceful and orderly.

Garcia said we highly believe our countrymen who are voters will vote and the elections will be peaceful.

We expect that the voting will finish early because were were able to set up the system to make the process fast to ensure that proclamation [of winning candidates] will also be fast, he added.

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Garcia appealed to the public to believe in the electoral process and not fall for fake news.

Let us have faith in the system and process, and don’t believe in the lies being spread around now, especially organized misinformation, disinformation, and fake news, Garcia added.

Garcia also reminded national and local candidates for the May 12 elections to take down their huge campaign materials on highways within the day.

“Dapat 12:01 am [bukas], bawal na ang pagkakalaking campaign materials. ‘Yung mga nakalalat sa mga highway, dapat tinatanggal na. Advise natin sa mga kandidato lalo na ‘yung may malalaking tarpaulin, tanggalin na nila ngayong araw,” he said.

(At 12:01 a.m. [tomorrow], huge campaign materials are no longer allowed. Those in highways should be taken down already. We advise candidates, especially those with huge tarpaulins, to have such campaign materials taken down today.)

“Bukas ng 12:01 am, bawal na ang pangangampanya… Lahat nang klase ng pangangampanya kahit sa social media,” he added.

(At 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, campaigning is no longer allowed. All kinds of campaigning, even on social media.)

Garcia said Task Force Baklas filed more than 50 complaints against candidates who did not heed reminders to remove their illegal campaign materials.

The Comelec chairman added that the task force will continue to file cases against those violating the no-campaign rule.

“Kahit araw ng Lunes, pwede kaming mag-file hangga’t hindi sila napoproklama… Kahit naproklama, pwede ang election offense at kasong kriminal,” Garcia said.

(Even on Monday, we can still file [cases] while they have not yet been proclaimed [as winners]. And even if they are already proclaimed, they may still face an election offense and criminal case.)

According to the election calendar previously issued, candidates are prohibited from campaigning on Sunday, May 11.

Regarding the possibility of vote buying, Garcia said voters have the responsibility to ensure this will not happen.

“Sa aking palagay, mas mataas ang responsibilidad nating mga botante [laban sa vote buying]. Walang makakapamili [ng boto] kung walang magbebenta,” he said.

(In my opinion, we voters have a higher responsibility [to fight vote buying]. No one will buy votes if no one will sell them.)

Garcia also reminded the public that offers of free rides and free breakfast from candidates may be considered vote buying.

Garcia also debunked posts going around that undervoting in ballots may lead to manipulation of votes.

“Hindi totoo ‘yan. ‘Yan ay kasinungalingan. Kahit kulang ang boto, basta ‘wag lang sosobra, pwede ‘yan… Mabibilang at mabibilang ang boto,” he said.

(That is not true. That is a lie. Even if you don’t vote for all the posts, that’s okay, as long as you don’t overvote. The votes will be counted.)

Election Day is Monday, May 12, with polling precincts opening as early as 5 a.m. to allow senior citizens, persons with disability, and pregnant registered voters to cast their votes early until 7 a.m.

Regular voting hours however will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.