MANILA (UPDATED) — The group of presidential candidate Leody De Guzman and his running mate, Walden Bello, did not file for a permit with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for their announced proclamation rally later in the day in Quezon City.

The event was supposed to happen Tuesday night at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City.

This was disclosed by Comelec's National Campaign Committee (NCCC) Elaiza David during a news conference.

Under the "new normal" campaign guidelines of the poll body, crafted in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, applications must be filed 72 hours prior to the election-related or campaign-related event.

“Hindi po ipinagbabawal mangampanya ang kahit sino, pero yung mga public events - yung mga mass gatherings - yun ang nire-regulate natin, hindi yung right to campaign," Comelec spokesman James Jimenez explained.

"I just want to make that very clear because I’m a little concerned na, you know, something might be lost in the message na people might suddenly think na ipinagbabawal ang pangangampanya," he added.

“Hindi po totoo 'yan. What’s being regulated is the mass gathering - so yun po ang subject ng ating regulation. They can still campaign using other modes of campaigning but they cannot hold mass gatherings without a permit."

David also said that De Guzman’s group would not be able to secure a special permit, even if they tried to send an application within the day.

“Hindi na po. Filed out of time na po siya. Ma-dedeny na po application nila ngayon," David said.

So far, 71 applications have been received by the campaign committee.

Applications (1 each) from the camps of presidential aspirants Vice-President Leni Robredo and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno were denied after having been filed out of time, the NCCC said.

De Guzman said he is still checking with his camp if they have secured a permit to hold their proclamation rally.

"Hindi ko pa alam. Hindi ko pa nakakausap ‘yung nag-organize, ‘yung aking partido, dito sa proclamation ng aking partido ngayong araw. Iche-check ko kung nagawa o hindi pero ang problem namin naka-set na lahat, ‘yung ang isang problema," De Guzman told reporters.

(I do not know yet. I have not yet spoken to the organizer, my party, about the proclamation today. I’ll check if it’s done or not but our problem is the rally is all set, that’s a problem.)

"Nasa ganoong sitwasyon kami ngayon na obligado kaming ituloy, malaki na ‘yung paghahandang ginawa," he added.

(We are in such a situation now that we are obliged to continue, a lot of preparations have been made.)

The labor leader said that they will push through with the event as things are in place already. He is also not sure whether the rally they will hold near ABS-CBN has a permit.

"Siguro pag-usapan namin ng partido na siyang nag-organize nito kung papaano kasi dapat sila ‘yung may responsibilidad na ayusin ang lahat ng mga bagay na may kaugnayan sa proklamasyon. Pag-usapan namin kung paano pero mahirap i-atras," the labor leader said.

(Maybe we will talk to the party that organized it because they should be the ones responsible for arranging all the matters related to the proclamation. We'll talk about how but it's hard to back off.)

He added that they are ready to face repercussions.

"Haharapin na lang namin ng partido kung anong magiging repercussion nun … nasa ganoon framework kasi nga nakahanda na eh … amin na lang kung papaano ipapaliwanag sa Comelec ‘yung activity na ilulunsad namin," he said.

(The party will just deal with what the repercussion will be … in that framework because we are already ready… we just know how to explain to the Comelec ‘the activity we will launch.)

"‘Yung ang aaralin, kung aabot ba roon, eh siyempre kung aabot sa disqualification, mabigat ‘yun. Sana hindi naman ganoon, kung may pagkukulang sana hindi naman umabot sa disqualification at ‘yun ang aaralin."

(We will look into it, if it reaches there, of course if it reaches disqualification, it is heavy. I hope it will not come to that point. If there are shortcomings, I hope it does not reach disqualification and we will look into that.) - with reports from Mike Navallo and Josiah Antonio, ABS-CBN News

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