Team PNoy ordered to remove all illegal posters

MANILA, Philippines - All 12 senatorial candidates of the administration were ordered by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday to immediately remove campaign posters proclaiming their supposed party coalition.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said the notices were sent to the 12 administration senatorial bets regarding their campaign posters stating that they belong to “Team PNoy Coalition.”

Brillantes explained there is no officially registered “Team PNoy Coalition.”

The Comelec sent notices to Juan Edgardo Angara, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Maria Ana Consuelo Madrigal, Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Alan Peter Cayetano, Antonio Trillanes IV, Cynthia Villar, Ana Theresia Hontiveros, Aquilino Martin Pimentel III, Lorna Legarda, Francis Joseph Escudero, and Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares.

The Comelec’s Law Department earlier reported seeing a Team PNoy poster on an electric post along West Service Road in Parañaque City.

“We treat it as a tandem/joint ad. Note that Team PNoy is not an accredited coalition but an informal banding of candidates coming from different parties,” Brillantes stressed.

Brillantes advised all candidates and political parties to comply with the requirements of Comelec Resolution 9615.

Under the rules, parties and candidates may post campaign materials only in authorized common poster areas in public places and in private places provided it has the consent of the owner.

Violation would mean an election offense, which carries a penalty of one to six years imprisonment, removal of right to vote, and prohibition to occupy public office.

Comelec previously sent notices to Hontiveros, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, Angara, Trillanes, Edward Hagedorn, Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr., former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Nancy Binay, Pimentel, Escudero, Madrigal, Aquino, Cayetano, Villar, Magsaysay and Llamanzares.

Brillantes also said Madrigal is not yet off the hook despite the apology she offered to the Comelec regarding her online campaign gimmick of offering an iPad as prize.

Brillantes said Comelec is set to discuss Madrigal’s written explanation and decide whether to file an election offense case against her.

“Now that there is already a written response, we will make our conclusion based on the written explanation. It will be taken up by the en banc to determine if we will file a case or not,” Brillantes said.

Madrigal personally appeared before the Comelec main office in Manila yesterday to submit her written explanation and apology over the online campaign gimmick.