This means, election posters and other election paraphernalia of candidates for whatever position should not be posted anywhere along that main road, Gay Enumerables of the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Southern Mindanao said.
Since official campaign period for senatorial and party-list candidates started last Tuesday, McArthur Highway has been dotted with posters along its whole stretch.
Enumerables branded such acts as direct violation of Comelec Resolution 7767, and can thus be considered as election offenses. Violation of Resolution 7767 can be grounds for disqualification if a complaint is filed with the Comelec.
The indiscriminate postings prompted the Comelec to put up the Task Force Baklas, a team assigned to tear down campaign materials that are found in places where they should be posted.
Areas that have been designated by the Comelec as common poster areas usually include plazas, areas fronting the barangay hall, the public market, and frontages of public schools.
Along main thoroughfares, it is permissible to put up campaign materials in major intersections only as stipulated by the Comelec.
In the history of Comelec, some violators were, indeed, charged with the offense. But she did not elaborate whether a complaint caused the disqualification of a candidate.
Campaign materials of re-electionists, such as Senators Villar and Angara have visibly littered the city since the start of the campaign period last Tuesday, February 13.
Meanwhile, party-list groups, such as Amin, Suara, Bayan Muna, and Gabriela have also started putting their campaign materials on electric posts, trees, and even on perimeter fences of private properties.
