Take down illegal posters, cops told

CEBU, Philippines —  The Commission on Elections in Cebu City said on Tuesday that the police are authorized to conduct Oplan Baklas against campaign materials that are noncompliant with election guidelines.

“Baklas” is a Tagalog term which means to dismantle. Oplan Baklas refers to the act of removing campaign materials that violate existing rules and guidelines.

“Under the rules, it is the PNP, or barangay tanods, deputized nato, with the supervision from the COMELEC and the PNP and the Armed Forces, with the assistance of DPWH and DENR (who can remove the campaign materials),” said lawyer Edwin Cadungog, acting election officer of Cebu City North District.

Although removing campaign materials that do not adhere to the required size is under the responsibility and jurisdiction of the COMELEC,

Cadungog said law enforcers such as the PNP also have authority to do so since they are deputized by COMELEC.

This was among the matters discussed during a joint command conference to realign all the activities in the upcoming elections, along with the security measures that need to be imposed by PNP and the AFP.

Cadungog said that regardless of the area where the campaign material is posted, whether private property or not, there is still a violation if the material is oversized.

He added that the owner should take the initiative to take down oversized posters since the COMELEC and other authorities cannot enter the private property.

“But kinahanglan nga ato gyud i-notify sila, atong i-submit sa law department. It’s up to the COMELEC to take action on that,” he said.

The same procedure is applied if an oversized campaign material is posted at the headquarters of a political candidate.

“No exemption,” said Cadungog.

According to COMELEC Resolution 10730 issued last December 17, 2021, lawful election propaganda shall include: pamphlets, leaflets, cards, decals, stickers or other written or printed materials whose size does not exceed 8 ½ x 14 inches; cloth, paper, cardboard posters, whether framed or posted, with an area not exceeding 2 x 3 feet, except that, at the site and on the occasion of a public meeting or rally, or in announcing the holding of said meeting or rally, streamers not exceeding 3x 8 feet in size shall be allowed.

Cadungog said that they will intensify the Oplan Baklas when the campaign for local positions begins on March 25.

The Comelec Election Monitoring Action Center is also tasked to monitor common election violations such as oversized campaign posters or the posting of campaign materials in inappropriate places.

Cadungog added that the police will monitor convergence of people during campaigns to ensure that minimum health standard protocols will not be compromised.

To this end, the City Comelec Campaign Committee (CCCC) was formed to monitor possible health protocol violations during campaign sorties.

Cadungog also said that supporters and aspirants whose campaign materials are not following the required sizes of their materials will be informed of their violations.

Should there be no action coming from them, they will be given at least 72 hours to remove such materials or else representatives of the police and the Comelec will remove these posts.

Cadungog reminded candidates to secure permits from concerned local government unit when staging campaign rallies. — JMD (FREEMAN)