SOME of the local candidates in Bacolod City continue to violate the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) rules on campaign posters, an election official said.
Acting Bacolod election registrar Ann Janette Lamban said they removed several illegal posters placed on electrical posts and trees on Friday, April 5, in Barangays Alijis and Bata.
“We removed more than 100 illegal tarpaulins in said areas and most of them belonged to candidates Baribar and Orola, who are running for councilor. Some of the illegal tarpaulins also belonged to national candidates,” she said.
Councilor Bartolome Orola and former councilor Archie Baribar are both members of Grupo Progreso.
In previous operations, Comelec also mentioned the names of Barangay Sum-ag Youth Council Chairman Jason Villarosa and Rico Villafuerte, who are running for councilor under the opposition group Asenso para sa Buas-damlag sang Bacolodnon-Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan (ABB-MKK). They were asked to remove their remaining illegal campaign posters in various areas.
Lamban said the candidates should observe the Election Fair Act and they should remind their supporters not to post their posters on electrical posts and trees.
“They should use the identified common poster areas to avoid violations. Candidates must also observe the required sizes of their campaign materials, it should not exceed the two-by-three-feet size,” she said.
Comelec was operating with the assistance of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the City Engineer’s Office.
Lamban disclosed that they will submit a report to the Comelec main office for the filing of charges against the violators.