Abide by the law, Palace urges bets

COMMON POSTER AREA A designated common campaign poster area on Sandoval Street in Pasig City remained unused
on Friday. —LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — As the 45-day campaign period for local candidates began on Friday, Malacañang reminded bets to abide by the law in their campaigns during the usually colorful and sometimes deadly elections.

“You will be the future leaders, so you should be at the forefront of following the law,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro said.

The vlogger-lawyer turned Palace official also reminded soldiers, police officers and other uniformed personnel that they should be apolitical and not take part in partisan political activities.

“They should not allow themselves to be used by politicians or carried away by their emotions. They are aware and should remember that their duty is to remain loyal to the country and the 1987 Constitution,” Castro said.

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Also on Friday, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Garcia and Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Romando Artes led a “grand baklas (grand takedown)” operation against illegal campaign posters in Tondo, Manila.

Garcia and Artes joined Comelec and MMDA personnel in taking down illegally placed posters, tarpaulins and billboards, as well as posters do not comply with the poll body’s specifications, along Nicolas Zamora Street near the New Pritil Public Market.

Report to Comelec

The drive cleared street fences, electric posts, electric wires, trees, several pedestrian footbridges, the nearby Pritil Bridge spanning Estero de Vitas, and other public spaces were cleared of unauthorized campaign paraphernalia.

Garcia said Comelec will be sending letters to candidates ordering to them to remove their posters in prohibited areas. If the campaign posters are not removed within three days, Comelec will issue a show-cause order.

“We are advising all candidates to post campaign materials only on common designated areas to avoid removal and possible disqualification cases,” Garcia said.

Comelec rules allow the public to report any illicit political postings to the local Comelec office, the Comelec website and on its social media platforms.

Artes said the MMDA deployed its personnel from Metro Parkways Clearing Group (MPCG) to work together with Comelec in dismantling illegal campaign materials and advertisements that violate established size and placement regulations.

“We deployed more than 500 MMDA personnel to the 17 local governments of Metro Manila to take down those illegal campaign materials. Also, as part of our coordination with Comelec, MMDA will intensify its Oplan Baklas operations to ensure compliance with election rules,” Artes said.

At the Tondo drive, MPCG personnel loaded the campaign materials on a truck. Garcia said the scrapped campaign materials will be turned over to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the nongovernmentL organization Ecowaste Coalition for recycling.

Artes also advised candidates and political parties they have to get a permit from the MMDA before conducting any caravan or motorcade on major roads in Metro Manila. Such activities should also be cleared with local governments, which may have their own traffic management rules concerning mobile campaigning.