38 nabbed for violation of election poster rule
Mostly claiming ignorance of the law, 38 persons were arrested for violation of Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Election Act in Iloilo City yesterday, the start of the official campaign period for national candidates.
Specifically, the 38 persons were caught after they posted streamers, posters, and other election paraphernalia in places not designated as common-poster areas.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Iloilo City led by city election officer Jonathan Sayno, together with police operatives, collared the men starting after midnight of yesterday, February 9, which also marked the start of the campaign period for national candidates.
First to be arrested at around 12:30 a.m. were individuals who put posters of the tandem Noynoy Aquino-Mar Roxas at Molo district.
Shortly later, supporters of Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo were caught in Jaro district.
The third wave of arrests had the hired men placing posters of Manny Villar.
“Ang mga poste kag kahoy, indi na nadala sa Comelec-designated areas. Amo na nga iligal ang ila pagpanakod,” Sayno said.
When the early morning operation concluded, Comelec arrested 6 men from the camp of Aquino-Roxas, 7 from Masa and Ocampo, and 25 from Villar.
The six Aquino-Roxas supporters allegedly received P200 for putting of posters while those from Villar reportedly got P180.
Comelec also confiscated their streamers and tarpaulins while their vehicle was also impounded.
Those arrested are now detained in the different lock-up cells of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO).
If found guilty, they might need to pay P6,000 – P12,000.
On top of that, Sayno said that they could also be detained for not less than 1 year and not more than 6 years.
In a separate interview Comelec regional director Atty. Dennis Ausan said the police will take charge in the filing of cases against the arrested violators.
Ausan said they are closely coordinating with the police on how to go about in filing the case against the supporters of the national candidates arrested by the police.
Ausan said it should be the responsibility of the candidates to inform their supporters on where to place their campaign materials such as posters and tarpaulins. “We could not charge the candidates themselves since those apprehended are only their supporters,” he said.
Task Force Baklas
To ensure that the Fair Election Act is strictly followed, Comelec regional director Atty. Dennis Ausan said that they have already mobilized Task Force Baklas in Western Visayas.
“We would remove their campaign materials if it is not within the designated common poster areas,” he added.
Further, “It should still abide with the specified sizes. Indi tungod kay balay mo na, putson mo na sang lapad-lapad daw habol na nga streamers,” he added.
Under RA 9006, “pamphlets, leaflets, cards, decals, stickers or other written or printed materials the size of which does not exceed eight and one-half inches in width and fourteen inches in length.”
Also, “cloth, paper or cardboard posters whether framed, or posted, with an area not exceeding 2 feet by 3 feet, except that, at the site and on the occasion of a public meeting or rally, or in announcing the holding of said meeting or rally, streamers not exceeding 3 feet by 8 feet in size, shall be allowed: Provided, that said streamers may be displayed 5 days before the date of the meeting or rally and shall be removed within 24 hours after said meeting or rally.”
Ausan said that if there is violation, they would call the attention of the candidate or the political party.
“Failure to remove that within 3 days from receipt of notice is already a sort of presumption that he liked it and he was the one who put it in that certain area,” he added. (With a report from Maricar Calubiran)
