Preventing government employees from publicly supporting candidates and political parties is illegal and unconstitutional, Bayan Muna Partylist said in its Supreme Court (SC) petition against a Civil Service Commission (CSC) memorandum.
Former Bayan Muna Representatives Atty. Neri Colmenares and Ferdinand Gaite questioned before the high court CSC Memorandum Circular No. 3, series of 2025, saying the directive infringes upon the constitutional rights of government employees, particularly their freedom of expression, right to participate in political discourse, and their rights as workers.
In its memorandum published March 17, the Commission reminded government employees to uphold political neutrality and avoid engaging in partisan political activities ahead of the May 12, 2025 elections.
It cited the 2016 Commission on Elections-CSC Joint Circular on Electioneering and Partisan Political Activities, strictly prohibiting government employees from certain political activities.
The Commission included in its new memorandum guidelines on so-called Proper Social Media Use, prohibiting posting, sharing or commenting on political content.
Bayan Muna however condemned the memo as a “dangerous move that threatens democratic space.”
“This memo is an overreach and a blatant violation of the constitutional right to freedom of expression,”Colmenares said.
“It dangerously expands the definition of partisan political activity to include basic online engagement such as liking, sharing, or commenting on political issues. This is outright suppression of thought and opinion,” the human rights lawyer added.
Bayan Muna said the memorandum went beyond Section 29 of Republic Act 2260 (law amending the Civil Service Act of the Philippines) that says employees may express opinion on politics.
Bayan Muna said in its petition that the new CSC memo violates not just the law, but the spirit of democracy.
“Government employees are citizens too. Silencing them is not only unjust—it is undemocratic,” Colmenares said.
Veteran public sector unionist Gaite also strongly opposes the directives, explaining that it tramples upon the very rights that civil servants are supposed to uphold and defend.
Colmenares and Gaite were joined at Friday’s SC filing by former Rep. Eufemia Cullamat and Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees president Santiago Dasmarinas. #
