MANILA — A Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner on Wednesday discouraged voters from wearing shirts or paraphernalia with the faces or names of candidates at polling precincts on election day.

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"Di po tayo magdidikta at hindi natin ipo-prohibit ang isang botante na nakasuot ng kulay ng isang kandidato... pero iwasan po natin magsuot ng mga damit na merong mukha ng kandidato," said commissioner George Garcia.

"Tandaan po natin, bawal na po ang pangangampaniya sa Mayo 9," he added.

(We will not dictate upon voters and prohibit them from wearing the campaign color of a candidate. But let us avoid wearing clothes with the face of a candidate. Let us remember that campaigning on May 9 is banned.)

Garcia said election watchers might flag voters who would wear campaign materials inside polling precincts.

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"Kapag po kayo nagsuot ng face mask na may mukha ng kandidato, baller o damit na may mukha ng kandidato, 'yan po ay siguradong sigurado ako io-object ng mismong watcher sa loob ng polling precinct," Garcia said.

(If you wear a face mask, baller, or clothes with the face of a candidate, I am sure the watcher inside the polling precinct will object.)

Garcia also said sample ballots should not be distributed at the precincts.

"Bawal na bawal po ang pamimigay ng sample ballots. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the commission, even in the past ang pinamimigay kasi mga bata. 'Di mo puwede arestuhin yung bata," Garcia lamented.

(Distributing sample ballots is banned. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the commission, children were made to hand out these ballots in the past. You cannot arrest children.)

The Philippines is set to hold its national and local elections on Monday, May 9.

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