Comelec orders four Masbate candidates to explain use of emergency alerts for campaigning

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued show cause orders to four candidates in Masbate for allegedly using emergency alert messaging systems for their campaigns.

Atty. John Rex Laudiangco, chief of the Comelec Education and Information Department, ordered gubernatorial candidate Ricardo Tingcungco Kho, vice-gubernatorial candidate Fernando 'Andot' Talisic, Congressional 2nd District representative candidate Elisa 'Olga' Kho, and city mayoralty candidate Ara Olga Kho to respond within five days.

Residents of Masbate received messages via emergency alerts on April 3, 2025, calling for votes for the Kho family candidates in the May 12 elections.

The camp of Masbate gubernatorial candidate Ricardo Tingcungco Kho will respond to the show cause order issued by Comelec regarding the use of emergency text blast machines for campaigning.

According to a report on '24 Oras', vice-gubernatorial bet Fernando Talisic, Masbate City mayoral candidate Olga Tingcungco Kho, and 2nd District congressional candidate Elisa Tingcungco Kho were also asked to answer the order.

However, the provincial legal officer said that the involved candidates are not allowed to discuss the issue further because of the show cause order.