HERE’S a friendly reminder from the Games and Amusements Board (GAB).

GAB Chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra reminded all the GAB-sanctioned professional sports leagues and promoters, including the leagues’ organizers, teams, professional athletes, manager, and other sports officials, to avoid accepting sponsorship from political candidates and partisan groups starting Feb. 8.

“While we understand that sponsorship is important in staging sports events, particularly during this time of pandemic, we still need to follow the law and the orders of th Commission on Elections (COMELEC),” said Mitra in a statement released on Wednesday.

Mitra made the call following the COMELEC’s response to GAB’s letter last month, inquiring whether a sponsorship from a political candidate and/or party-list group to a professional league or sports promoter is considered a prohibited donation, contribution, or gift in cash or in-kind under Section 104 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).

In its reply-letter, COMELEC reiterated that no candidate, his or her spouse or any relative within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, or his campaign manager, agent or representative shall, during the campaign period, on the day before and on the day of the election, directly or indirectly, make any donation, contribution or gift in cash or in-kind.

The COMELEC also explained that sponsorship might result in possible election offenses such as vote-selling, vote-buying, among others.

“We want to help our professional leagues and promoters to bounce back, get good publicity, and secure large audience turnout, however, we want to remind them to avoid politicking in sports,” added Mitra.

The election ban will take effect from Feb. 8-May 9, accorind to the statement released to the media.

One of the leagues expected to be affected by the COMELEC ruling is the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).of Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ed Andaya