INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano yesterday assured political parties that the ban on rallies applies to all, whether in the administration or the opposition.

Ano said the DILG will always refrain from playing favorites to any political teams as he dismissed thoughts or allegations that special considerations will be accorded to groups aligned with the Duterte administration when it comes to granting political gatherings.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has scheduled the start of the official campaign on February 8 next year for the national post and March 25 for local. According to Ano, Duterte critics expressed doubts that opposition candidates or parties would get the same treatment administration bets enjoys.

Earlier, the DILG chief clarified that only caravans and motorcades were given the green light because health protocols under these activities are easy to adhere to aside from being held for a limited time only.

Despite the DILG’s pronouncement on the prohibition on the conduct of political rallies, Ano however did not discount the fact that there are still stubborn elective post aspirants and their supporters who proceed with these types of erroneous campaign apprapproaches.

“Ganyan talaga. Kanya-kanyang interest lalo na malapit na election,” he said.

The DILG chief maintained that motorcades and caravans are held in open areas where the possibility of the transmission of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is minimal.

Ano said special gatherings will only be allowed if permitted by the local government unit (LGU) concerned provided that all minimum public health standards (MPHS) are observed.

“Bawal pa po ang mga political rally. Hindi pa po campaign period. We have been seeing candidates, both national and local, staging political rallies here and there which gather hundreds if not thousands of people. Hindi pa po tapos ang pandemya. Parating pa ang omicron variant,’’ he reminded candidates and political parties.

He said local government units (LGUs) and the Philippine National Police are mandated to assist any gatherings with legal permits but are also prepared to stop any time activities which may be considered as a spreader event.

While the minimum health protocols are to be enforced always, Ano warned that organizers will be held accountable if there are violations committed. The DILG chief again appealed to political groups and candidates to just wait for the campaign period set by the Comelec.

“There is time for everything and now is not the time to gather a huge number of people. Let’s wait for the campaign period,”he said.

We are fortunate na bumababa ang kaso (COVID-19) sa ating bansa but this is not the time to push our luck. COVID is sitill here and we can’t be complacent,” he added.