Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, Cebu Police Provincial Office director.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) will conduct a “One Time, Big Time Oplan Baklas” soon.
With this, Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, CPPO director, urges candidates and their supporters to remove illegal postings as the police will surely remove them.
“Doon po sa mga candidates na concern na mabaklasan ng campaign posters, ang assurance ko po is we will be very very fair. Kahit sinong poster, kung illegally placed yan, tatangalin po namin yan. Hindi na kami titingin kung sinong mukha ang nakalagay doon basta illegal po iyon,” Soriano said.
(For candidates who are concerned that their campaign posters will be removed, my assurance is that we will be very very fair. Whoever owns that poster, if it is illegally placed, we will take it down. We will not look at whoever is printed on those posters as long as it is illegally placed will surely be removed.)
According to the Fair Elections Act, under Section 9, or the Posting of Campaign Materials, the Comelec may authorize political parties to create poster areas in a maximum of 10 public places, namely plazas, markets, barangay centers, and the like, wherein candidates can post their propaganda. This, however, must follow the size of the poster not exceeding 12 by 16 feet.
Aside from area security, Soriano said that there will also be personnel who will help in the One Time Big Time Oplan Baklas.
Since the start of the local campaign last March 25, 2022, Soriano said they have noticed some campaign materials were illegally posted on electric posts, trees, and public buildings.
He reminds the public again that posting materials in these areas is prohibited.
“To our candidates, while hindi pa naimplement ang Opeation Baklas ng PNP, AFP, COMELEC, I encourage you na dismantle nalang, alam naman ng candidates kung saan legal and saan illegal para at least di naman masayang ang materials nila,” he added.
Soriano also revealed that they have not received reports of untoward incidents since the start of the campaign period and that so far it is peaceful.
He further said that they have 2,000 deployable personnel once needed and have requested 500 more from the regional office.
Soriano also said that they have not also received any report about the presence of criminal gangs in the province.
However, he assured the public that they will continue their intel monitoring over this matter, and the possible presence of New People’s Army rebels in the province. /rcg
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