ILOILO City – As the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) concluded, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) calls on candidates and their supporters to remove all campaign posters, whether in designated common poster areas or privately owned properties.
“It’s their obligation, and at their own expense, nga kuhaon ina kag indi na magpabilin sa sina nga lugar nga gin-display-han. Within five days, dapat kakason ina ang campaign posters,” Jonathan Sayno, Election Assistant II of Comelec-Iloilo City, told Panay News.
He explained that failure to do so is considered an election offense with a penalty of disqualification to hold any public office or one to six years of imprisonment.
But Sayno expressed confidence that candidates will voluntarily remove their campaign materials, citing the previous elections.
Posting campaign materials during the campaign period was allowed under Section 3 (Lawful Election Propaganda) of Republic Act (RA) No. 9006, or the “Fair Election Act.”
RA 9006 states that election propaganda, whether on television, cable television, radio, newspapers, or any other medium, is hereby allowed for all registered political parties, national, regional, sectoral parties, or organizations participating in the party-list elections and for all bona fide candidates seeking national and local elective positions, subject to the limitation on authorized expenses of candidates and political parties, the observance of truth in advertising, and the supervision and regulation by the Comelec.
In this city, there were 6,897 candidates for BSKE. The breakdown per district is as follows:
* Arevalo – 638
* City Proper – 1,402
* Jaro – 1,597
* La Paz – 942
* Lapuz – 511
* Mandurriao – 788
* Molo – 1,019
In Iloilo province, Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office Senior Environmental Management Specialist Mitzi Peñaflorida said they will conduct a cleanup drive dubbed “Limpyo Dalanon” on Nov. 6.
During the cleanup, which is part of the 2nd Provincial Environmental Awareness Month Celebration and Climate Consciousness Week, the provincial government will simultaneously remove loitered campaign materials and those on trees.
“Dala na sa amon ‘Limpyo Dalanon’ ang pagkakas sang campaign materials,” Peñaflorida told Panay News.
She clarified that even without “Limpyo Dalanon,” Comelec’s municipal or city election offices conduct “Operation Baklas.”
In the upcoming “Limpyo Dalanon”, Peñaflorida said they expect the participation of barangay officials, especially the newly elected, as part of their responsibilities.
“Kung magdugay ang mga campaign materials kag ma-expose sa init-ulan naga-brittle kag may tendency maging microplastics or microbeads kag mag-pose hazard sa aton environment kay ang mga plastics may harmful toxic chemicals content,” explained Peñaflorida.
For campaign posters on trees, she said each town or city, through their respective election officers and the Philippine National Police, has regular monitoring.
Peñaflorida said Republic Act No. 3571 prohibits the cutting, destroying or injuring of planted or growing trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic value along public roads, in plazas, parks, school premises or in any other public pleasure ground.
Further, Section 3 of Presidential Decree 953 punishes violators with imprisonment of six months to two years, or a fine of not less than P500 and not more than P5,000, or with both imprisonment and fine at the discretion of the court./PN
