Disqualifying candidates

EDITORIAL

Beware election candidates. The Commission on Elections warned violation of the Fair Elections Act with posting of illegal campaign material would be grounds for disqualification and election protests.

The Comelec urged candidates to follow rules in posting campaign materials as campaign period started. In Baguio, City Election Supervisor John Paul Martin said the Comelec will strictly enforce Resolution No. 10049, the “Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Fair Elections Act for the May 2016 polls” particularly the posting of campaign materials.

Even before the local campaign started, the Comelec removed illegally posted campaign materials in the city.Martin said a truck load of illegally posted campaign materials of national candidates was removed by the joint operatives of the Comelec, Baguio City Police Office and the Department of Public Works and Highways in the first city- wide ‘Operation Baklas’ on March 23, three days before the official start of the campaign for local candidates on March 26.

Martin said that they removed hundreds of campaign materials illegally posted at areas which were not identified as common posting areas including buildings, fences and other private properties.  Others were removed from trees, mostly nailed or tied to the tree trunk or branches. They also removed campaign materials which did not follow the specified sizes. 

He said even if campaign material is within private properties if it does not follow the specified size, it would be considered as an illegal campaign material and should be removed. The posting of any election campaign or propaganda material outside of authorized common poster areas, in public places, or in private properties without the consent of the owner is also not allowed.

Based on the Fair Elections Act, the size of the common poster areas is limited to 12 ft. x 16 ft. Independent candidates are only allowed the size of 4 ft. x 6 ft. The size of the individual posters that may be posted in each common poster area is limited to 2 ft. x 3 ft. So to poll bets – better check you campaign materials or face disqualification.