Campaign materials are prohibited from being posted on trees but some found their way on these trees along L. Bacayo Street, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, as the campaign period for the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections kicked off on Friday, May 4, 2018.
As the campaign period for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections began on Friday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) warned the candidates to strictly abide by the rules and regulations in campaigning, or else face legal repercussions.
The campaign guidelines set by the Fair Elections Act and the Omnibus Election Code include the designated common poster area and the approved sizes of campaign materials, among others.
Under these guidelines, campaign posters or tarpaulins should be at most six square feet or two-by-three feet, while leaflets and fliers should measure not more than eight-and-a-half-by-14 inches.
Lionel Marco Castillano, Cebu provincial election supervisor, reiterated that the guidelines prohibit the installation of campaign posters in trees, electric posts, electrical wires, schools, waiting sheds, sidewalks, traffic signs, bridges, public offices including the barangay, shrines, public transport terminals, roads, and government vehicles.
Should a candidate violate any of these guidelines, Castillano reminded that it would constitute into an election offense, which provides for a penalty of one to six years of imprisonment.
A candidate guilty of charges for election offense will also be banned from holding public office, elected or appointed.
Castillano added that he has directed the Election Officers (EOs) in every municipality to call the attention of candidates who violated the campaign guidelines.
According to Castillano, the EOs who personally witnessed a violation may send a letter to the concerned candidate and request for him to voluntarily take down the campaign material, even without the prior complaint being lodged.
“They (EOs) will write to the candidate for him to take it down (if the sizes are) illegal or (the location is) illegal. If within three days he will not take it down, that will constitute to a prima facie evidence nga siya nagpabutang ana (that he ordered the campaign material to be put up there),” said Castillano.
He said the EOs are directed to document such cases, to be used as a basis for the filing of charges for violation of the Fair Elections Act and the Omnibus Election Code.
Warned
In Lapu-Lapu City, Election Officer Ann Janette Ho-Lamban had already warned some candidates for installing their campaign materials in prohibited places.
Ho-Lamban urged the candidates to educate their staff about the proper places where they could install posters and other campaign materials.
However, Castillano also warned the public not to destroy posters of candidates even if they are not compliant with the prescribed poster sizes or if they are installed outside the common poster area.
“Ang makatangtang ra gyud kay ang kandidato kung iyaha na, ug ang Comelec kung naka-violate siya (Only the candidate can remove the illegal poster campaign materials, or the Comelec, which by then already constitute a violation),” said Castillano.
Aside from Comelec and the candidate that owns the campaign materials, Castillano added that owners of private property where posters were put up also have the discretion to remove them.
“Remember, allowed lang sa private property with the consent of the owner,” explained Castillano.
Kickoff events
Meanwhile, motorcades and live band parades with cultural dance performances greeted the kickoff of the campaign period.
This, however, might not be pleasing to commuters and motorists as these street activities seemed to have contributed to their daily traffic ordeals.
Cebu Provincial Traffic Management Focal Person Jonathan Tumulak, for his part, urged the candidates to properly coordinate with the traffic management teams assigned in their areas regarding their campaign activities that would involve motorcades and other activities that can cause traffic.
This way, Tumulak said, the traffic managers in the area would be able to send personnel to guide the traffic flow and prevent gridlock caused by the campaign activities.
“I-coordinate gyud nila ilang mga ruta kung anha sila sa atong kadalanan kay aron maka-deploy sa mga critical area nga posibleng magka-traffic,” said Tumulak.
(The candidates should coordinate their routes with the traffic managers so that personnel will be deployed to the critical areas where there might be traffic build up.)
“We have the freedom to conduct street activities, but as candidates, they should set the example and prevent themselves from becoming the source of problem in the community,” Tumulak said.
Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) chief Francisco Ouano said that in Cebu City, six barangays coordinated with their office for the conduct of their motorcades and other street activities.
Ouano said there has been no reports of traffic violations among those who conducted motorcades on Friday.
“Nisunod ra sila sa (They followed) traffic rules. So far, wala ray ni (there was no) counterflow,” said Ouano.
Ouano added that they would still monitor other areas especially those along major roads to prevent any campaign event or activity that would hamper the traffic flow. /With Reporter Morexette Marie B. Erram and Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza
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