3 parties violate fair elections law

CEBU, Philippines - While Section 9 of the Fair Elections Act clearly states that posting of political campaign materials are allowed in designated areas only and in regulated sizes, candidates who vow to be of service, ironically, continue to violate such.

Alarmed by the continuing violations after the campaign season for national elective posts has kicked off, a citizens initiative campaign group vows to run after these erring candidates who insist on putting up paraphernalia in the wrong places thereby making these as “eyesores.”

“Tugkaran Hinloan” made up of lawyers, policemen, environmentalists and students pledge to run after erring poll bets after pointing out that if a simple law as the Fair Elections Act could not be followed by the political candidates themselves, then they are not worth our votes.

Said violators who belong to three parties but which are yet unnamed continue to post campaign materials on trees, electric posts, lampposts and even on perimeter fences in residential areas.

Environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa, chairman of the Global Legal Action on Climate Change, along with Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City president Michael Yu said that they will be filing suits against election law violators.

The initiative campaign kicked off with a vision that because the law is so simple that even children can follow it, it must also be obeyed by those seeking elective positions as well as by officials, notably, in the barangays.

Section 9 of Republic Act 9006 requires the posting of campaign materials in specifically designated poster areas, in regulated sizes, and in public places such as barangay halls and sports center/barangay gymnasiums.

The Fair Elections Act was enacted to reduce the inequity in electoral campaigns where the moneyed and the powerful dominate the political landscape.

Oposa said that there are already three parties on their list who have violated the fair elections act and that they will send notices to them. He, however, refused to name the three parties.

Oposa said that they will be holding a weekly illegal poster removal activity within the province. — Jasmin U. Labaco/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)