• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As the campaign period for local candidates is set to start March 28, the Commission on Elections yesterday said that campaign materials in barangay halls should be removed.
Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec regional director for Negros Island Region, warned barangay captains that they will be held liable if they do not remove campaign materials.
Even if they are not candidates, he said they will still be held liable, being the custodians of the barangay halls. Violators will face the penalty of perpetual disqualification from whatever positions in government, Castillano pointed out.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to launch a nationwide campaign to remove illegal election materials at the start of the local campaign period on Friday.
Under its “Grand Oplan Baklas,” Comelec will take down unlawful campaign materials mounted outside the designated common poster areas, especially on trees and electrical posts.
Castillano, however, said that those exempted from the nationwide operation are campaign materials inside private properties.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson called on candidates and their supporters to keep the campaign as “civil as possible,” and respect the outcome of election results.
Lacson also reminded incumbent officials seeking reelection to avoid putting their pictures and campaign materials in government owned vehicles.
“If you’re out there, to campaign, don’t use government vehicles. If you’re out there to visit your constituents because you’re launching a project it’s ok,” he added.
Early this month, the Comelec sent notices of violation to 52 senatorial candidates and party list groups for the illegal posting of campaign materials in Negros Occidental.
It also removed 4,570 illegally posted campaign materials of national bets in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City from February 24 to March 8 under its “Oplan Baklas.”*
