No campaign posters, streamers in schools

WITH less than a hundred days to go before the May 10 elections, the Department of Education (DepEd) warned candidates and their supporters that schools are off-limits to their posters, streamers and other campaign paraphernalia.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus issued the warning after receiving reports of campaign posters being pasted on school walls not only in Metro Manila but in other areas of the country in violation of the guidelines of the Commission on Election (Comelec).

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“DepEd is strongly prohibiting the placing of campaign materials at the walls of schools. This is against Comelec rules… especially that schools are being used as polling precincts and on election day, our teachers serve as Board of Election Inspectors,” Lapus explained.

He also appealed to candidates and their supporters to respect the non-partisan status of schools and teachers and spare them from any political activity.

“Our schools and teachers are non-partisan and this should be respected. Thus, instead of pasting posters in schools… they should coordinate with Comelec of the proper places where they could put up their campaign materials,” said Lapus.

On Sunday, the poll body reminded all candidates running in the May 10 elections to remove all illegal campaign materials before Tuesday’s start of the official campaign period.

The order was based on an en banc resolution which said that printed materials and advertisements showing the picture, image or name of a candidate made or done in violation of election laws prior to the campaign period must be removed by Monday, February 8.

Campaign materials are deemed to be illegal if the size of posters made of cloth or paper exceeds two feet by three feet. Posters in places where a public meeting or rally is to be held are allowed the maximum size of three feet by eight feet. These may be displayed five days before the event and must be removed within 24 hours after it.

Posters may only be placed in areas designated as common poster areas by local election offices.

Posting of campaign materials on streets, bridges, public buildings, trees, electric posts and wires, schools, religious shrines, and main thoroughfares is strictly prohibited.

Follow rules

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal on Monday called on national and local candidates running for public office to follow campaign rules.

“Follow the rules. You'll be the leaders of the country so you have to follow the rules,” said Larrazabal.

The campaign period for national candidates will start on February 9 and March 26 for local candidates.

The poll body has already released the rules and regulations during the campaign period through Resolution No. 8758 on Friday.

Comelec particularly warned candidates against posting campaign materials outside authorized common poster areas which will be set up by the poll body in public places such as plazas, markets, Barangay centers and the like.

“The posting of campaign materials in public places outside of the designated common poster areas such as streets, bridges, public structures or buildings, trees, electric posts or wires, schools, shrines, main thoroughfares and the like is prohibited,” states Comelec Resolution No. 8758.

The commission also clarified that common poster area does not refer to a post, a tree, the wall of a building or an existing public structure that is in active use, but a structure that is temporarily set up by the candidates or political parties for the exclusive purpose of displaying their campaign posters.

New regulations

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez earlier said that only a few rules were bit modified.

Unlike the 2007 elections where the air time spent for all stations are accumulated, the air time allowed this elections will be per station.

Candidates/registered political parties for a national elective position can only consume 120 minutes in television or cable television and 180 minutes in radio, whether by purchase or donation, wherever located, per station.

Candidates running for local positions have 60 minutes per television and 90 minutes in radio, whether by purchase or donation, wherever located, per station.

The resolution also states that written or printed materials should not exceed eight and one-half inches in width and fourteen inches in length.

Posters made of cloth, paper, whether framed or posted should not exceed two feet by three feet.

Meanwhile, Internet campaigning was not clearly touched on by the commission in its guidelines for campaigning.

“For the other forms of media that is not covered, there is a provision in the resolution that says that a candidate can ask for permission to do this,” said Commissioner Larrazabal.

Task force

The commission has also created a three-man task force to tear down and remove unlawful election materials.

The task force will be composed of the election officer as chairman, the Station Commander of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as vice chairman and a third member belonging to any of the deputized agencies of the Commission.

The election officer is tasked to issue a notice to candidates who will be caught campaigning illegally. After three days, the candidate and his camp should have already removed the illegal campaign material.

Comelec has also called on the public to report to the poll body any unlawful campaign paraphernalia.

“We should work together. If you see something, report it to us so we can do something about it,” said Larrazabal.

Violators may face an election offense punishable with imprisonment of not less than one year but no more than six years. In addition, the guilty party shall likewise be sentenced to suffer disqualification to hold public office and the deprivation of his right to suffrage.

Unlawful campaign materials may be reported to the following hotline numbers: 525-9302, 525-9297, 525-9345, 525-9296, 525-9335, 525-9294, 527-5575 and 527-0821. (AH/Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)