9 groups back Comelec vs. illegal posting of poll materials

The Comelec''s campaign against the illegal posting of campaign materials has gained support from groups of lawyers, police and environmentalists.

Yesterday, nine groups composed of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines- Cebu province and Cebu City Chapters, IBP National Environmental Action Team, University of the Philippines Law Alumni Cebu Foundation Incorporated, Green Forum, University of Cebu College of Law, Philippine National Police, Dilaab Foundation Incorporated and the Comelec have signed a memorandum of agreement to work together in tearing down and removing all posters placed outside the designated areas.

All parties signed the MOA yesterday afternoon at the IBP Building and swore close coordination in curbing election-related offenses, especially those that affect the environment.

Comelec-7 director Ray Rene Buac said that IBP has responded to their call for help in tearing down and removing all illegally placed posters and campaign materials because the Comelec could not do it alone due to lack of personnel.

In a letter to Comelec, lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, IBP-NEAT and Green Forum coordinator expressed concern on the proliferation of posters and campaign materials placed on trees.

"Injuring and destroying trees is a violation of Presidential Declaration 953 and Republic Act 9006," Ramos said.

With the MOA, Buac said that the IBP is authorized to apprehend and prosecute those who are caught putting posters and campaign materials on trees, including non-complying barangay officials who do not act on the illegal posters in their respective areas.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 7823, all barangay officials, including barangay tanods through the supervision of the Department of Interior and Local Government are deputized to remove all illegally placed posters and campaign materials.

The resolution also said that posting of campaign materials in public places outside of the designated common poster areas such as trees, bridges, public structures or buildings, electric posts or wires, schools, shrines, and main thoroughfares are prohibited. Persons who will be caught placing campaign materials in these areas may be sued for violating Republic Act 9006 or the "Fair Elections Act."

"Perpetrators of environment-related abuses, such as those who destroy and defile our trees, would only be emboldened to continue their actuations, if the laws are not strictly enforced - to the detriment of the constitutional right of the present and future generations to a healthful and balanced ecology," the MOA reads.

The MOA also recognizes that while it is the Comelec that is designated to implement election laws, the office also has very limited manpower, as manifested by the deployment of police and barangay personnel in implementing said laws.

While this is so, the MOA said only a few barangays have complied with the Comelec directive "as can be seen in the inundated landscape of election materials in Cebu and its cities and barangays."

The Fair Elections Act specifically provides that campaign materials can only be posted in Comelec-designated areas. It also bans the cutting, destroying, damaging or injuring of trees of any kind along public roads, plazas, or any other public grounds. - Wenna A. Berondo and Joeberth M. Ocao/MEEV