Villanueva answers billboard issue

THE camp of Bangon Pilipinas bet Bro. Eddie Villanueva scored the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Wednesday for being unfair in applying campaign rules.

“A supporter of genuine change has volunteered to put up a poster of Bangon Pilipinas’ presidential candidate Bro. Eddie Villanueva. Now, this poster advocating for change is being used to threaten Bro. Eddie of disqualification. Why zero in on this poster? Who is afraid of change?” said lawyer Lyndon Cana, Bangon Pilipinas National Campaign Manager.

Click here for Election 2010 updates

Cana added that some candidates put their posters in non-designated common poster areas like major highways but the Comelec did not even warn them.

On Tuesday, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said based on their monitoring, Villanueva and Bagumbayan bets Senator Richard Gordon and Bayani Fernando violated election rules by putting up oversize billboards in Edsa.

“However, as of press time, no official communication from the Comelec on this matter has been transmitted to Bangon Pilipinas,” the party said.

Under the Fair Elections Act, campaign materials—whether written or printed—should not exceed 8 1/2 by 14 inches, as well as posters with an area not exceeding two by three feet.

Bangon Pilipinas Secretary-General lawyer Ted Pascua meanwhile said the party will “comply” with campaign rules.

He said Villanueva’s giant billboard in Quiapo “was already dismantled the first time that the Comelec warned of billboards beyond the requisites allowed.”

The other billboard in Balintawak however is still up because it is one of the party’s headquarters, added Pascua. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)