Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) – The building housing the Commission on Elections headquarters in Manila will soon get a facelift after netizens flagged its red and green light accents every night, which they said is similar to the colors of a certain political tandem.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the Intramuros Administration (IA) in charge of the building will drop the color scheme.
Since last year, the facade of Palacio del Gobernador – where the poll body rents several floors to house the offices of its commissioners and units, as well as agencies under the Office of the President – are lighted in red, green, and blue after sundown.
Red and green are the chosen campaign colors of presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
Twitter users found this questionable and partisan, especially at the height of the “Operation Baklas” controversy, where Comelec officials take down oversized campaign posters, and even painted over a pink mural for Vice President Leni Robredo on private property.
“This was brought to our attention by a netizen and we felt that it’s something we can do right away. Nakikipag-coordinate po kami sa IA [We are coordinating with the IA] and I think they have consented to changing the lights,” Jimenez told reporters Friday. “They are going to take down the Christmas colors.”
“I think Intramuros was sensitive to the internet and to Twitter specifically and they were able to come to that decision themselves,” Jimenez added.
Apart from Comelec, other offices occupying the Palacio are the Bureau of the Treasury, Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.
Existing rules of Comelec and the Civil Service Commission prohibit the use of government buildings for political partisan activities. Government workers are also banned from engaging in electioneering.
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