A FEW days ago, Sun.Star Pampanga published on front page a photo of the dozens of campaign posters of Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Noynoy Aquino and running mate Mar Roxas on acacia trees along McArthur Highway in Baliti village, City of San Fernando.
Yesterday morning, the LP provincial directorate led by Gov. Eddie Panlilio issued a press statement, saying that it had started removing the posters.
The statement said the posters were “unintentionally nailed on trees or hang outside of common poster areas designated by the Commission on Elections” by LP volunteers.
“We want the party to comply with the Comelec ruling against illegal posting. We want also to respect and protect the trees, which is also part of our ecological advocacy,” Panlilio said.
While every candidate wants to have as many posters as they want, existing rules must be followed not only to promote peace and order but also for the sake of decency.
Written rules need not remain as mere letters and numbers. They should be complied with and enforced – unless we want confusion, turmoil or anarchy to prevail. Laws and rules preserve orderliness in an institution and the society. They were established to regulate or control the actions of every member of the society and ensure that an individual’s whims and caprices won’t prevail over the mission and vision of an institution.
We cannot deny the fact that rules get broken via excuses or supposedly sound justifications. Of course, it takes cunning and little boldness to do that. Baka nga naman makalusot. Well delivered a la for-the-good-of-the-country justifications and reasoning can always serve as facade of selfish motives and intentions.
Without self-discipline and restraint, our society and institutions might be ruled by those who are accustomed to bending the rules or getting around it just to attaint their objectives, especially during the elections season when the three Gs (guns, gold, and goons) remain the most powerful tools in getting elected to public office.
We believe the LP provincial directorate deserves applause for accepting the “unintentional” mistakes of its volunteers and in acting promptly to right the wrong. We hope that other candidates and political parties will also respect the poll body’s policies on campaign posters and related matters.
Unity and progress will be easier to gain if only everyone has the courage and honesty to follow existing laws and simple rules and regulations.