2 candidates asked to remove posters

CEBU, Philippines - For the first time, the officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Cebu City received a formal complaint against two candidates for city councilors whose campaign posters were posted at a private property in Barangay Carreta without permission from the owner.

“There was no consent from me or any of my personnel authorizing them to place the posters on the fence and gate of my truck yard at J. de Vera Street. They covered almost the entire fence and gate,” said Dennis Maravillas in his letter to the Comelec.

Maravillas attached in his letter-complaint the photographs of several campaign posters with names of Jerry Guardo and Alvin Arcilla that were posted in his property.

Guardo is with the Team Rama while Arcilla is one of the reelectionist councilors under Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK).

Cebu City north district election officer Marchel Sarno already sent letters to both candidates yesterday after Maravillas requested Arcilla and Guardo to immediately remove all their posters in his property.

“Whatever damage that may result from the removal of said campaign posters shall be repaired by them,” Maravillas said.

Sarno said any election propaganda materials can be removed anytime if these will be posted in private properties without the permission of the owner, including those that are placed in public places outside of the designated Comelec common posters areas.

The FREEMAN tried but failed to reach the two candidates.

Mayor Michael Rama is hoping that the Comelec will be fair in enforcing the election laws which include the tearing down of the propaganda materials of the candidates.

The mayor earlier said he prefers that the campaign posters of the candidates shall be removed only after the elections so that it will not waste the time of those who will be tasked to do it.

“Kon manangtang kita karong adlawa inigkaugma anaa na sa’y lain nga gibutang. Maghago-hago lang ta,” the mayor said. (Even if posters are taken down now, they will still reappear the next day.)

The Comelec has no personnel to remove the campaign posters of the candidates that are placed in unauthorized areas because the election officials will just depend on the officials of the various local government units.

The Comelec is aware that seeking help from the public to report illegally posted campaign propaganda may not be that easy.

This is due to possible safety concerns that complainants might feel if they report to the commission.

But Comelec-7 Regional Director Temie Lambino hopes this would not stop the people from helping them in their fight against campaign regulation violators.

Lambino expressed that if the public would be afraid, they would not be able to curb the problem of posting campaign materials outside common poster areas, which he said is one of the major problems every election.

“Kung natatakot lang tayo, this is a vicious cycle. Babalik din to sa 2016 election.”

However Lambino clarified that he is not discounting the security of the people.

“Safety is very important. I am not disregarding the safety of each individual. Pero ang kino-consider ko dito is ang paramount importance and it is the rule of law,” said Lambino, adding his gratefulness to private citizens, local government units and non-government organizations who have already done their part in watching out for illegally posted campaign propaganda.

Lambino lauded a private citizen of Cebu city who sent a letter to the Comelec, complaining about campaign materials of two candidates vying for a seat in the Cebu city council.

Lambino said they would be sending notices to the involved candidates and will give them three days to remove the posters. If the candidates would fail to act on the notice, Lambino said they would not think twice on filing a disqualification case against the two candidates.

Comelec recently partnered with civil society organizations including a group of lawyers to help them go after violators of Resolution 9615 which includes the prohibition of “posting, displaying or exhibiting of any election campaign or propaganda material outside of authorized common poster areas, in public places or in private properties.”

Violators who will be facing disqualification cases may face a penalty of one to six years imprisonment, removal of the right to vote, and prohibition to hold public office. — /JPM with DENELLE DOLLESON (FREEMAN)