AT LEAST 100 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) candidates in Mandaue City accused of premature campaigning were already served notices to explain, according to a Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Mandaue official.
Lawyer Anna Fleur Gujilde, election officer head of Comelec- Mandaue, told SunStar Cebu Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, that the notices will also be sent to the Comelec central office in Manila for investigation.
Gujilde could not confirm yet if any of the involved candidates were bound for disqualification, stressing they are still waiting to apply the decision from their central office on these cases.
Operation baklas
Meanwhile, Gujilde reminded BSKE candidates to follow the guidelines in placing their election posters and other campaign paraphernalia.
In Comelec-Mandaue’s “Operation Baklas,” which started last Oct. 20, Gujilde said they dismantled more or less 13 posters placed in undesignated areas, such as on trees, within walls, gates, and inside public places.
Section 9 of Republic Act 9006, or the Fair Elections Act, states that the Comelec may authorize political parties and party-list groups to establish common poster areas for their candidates in not more than 10 public places such as plazas, markets, and barangay centers, among others, wherein candidates can post, display or exhibit election propaganda. The size of the poster areas shall not exceed 12 by 16 feet or its equivalent.
As per Comelec guidelines, Gujilde said posters should be 2x3 feet (ft.) in size and be placed only beside public places, such as public markets, barangay halls, and gymnasiums, except schools, pinned on made-up billboards.
Additionally, posters that are not standalone, having a maximum size or lesser of 2x3 ft., and put together side by side to form a collage-like poster exceeding 2x3 ft.; with single letters of names, having a maximum size or lesser of 2x3 ft., assembled to form a size exceeding 2x3 ft., or another similar manner of means of a grouping of such posters that tends to circumvent the size limitation; posters or tarpaulins bearing the image of candidates, whether individually, by group, or of the whole slate which exceeds 2x3 ft.; and those that do not bear the words “Political advertisement paid for/by_______” or “Printed free of charge,” as may be applicable, are considered prohibited campaign propaganda.
Gujilde also pointed out the city’s existing ordinance, which prohibits the nailing or roping of trees, emphasizing that some candidates use these methods to display their election posters.
But she clarified they had not filed charges against those candidates who violated the posting guidelines.
Gujilde said they will have another Operation Baklas on Oct. 27.