With the impending start of the campaign period for national candidates in the May 2025 midterm polls, the Commission on Elections reminded all candidates to voluntarily remove all their illegal campaign materials that prior to February 11, were not yet illegal because of a gross election law loophole.
“Once it’s Feb. 11, they all turn from aspirants to candidates. Because of that, we will enforce the election laws, especially regarding posters and campaigning,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said.
“Those that are large-sized, especially in public places, we will have them removed and if we want, file criminal cases for the election offense,” he added.
Under Comelec regulations, all prohibited forms of election propaganda must be immediately removed by the candidate or party at least 72 hours before the start of the campaign period.
At the start of the campaign period, Garcia said the Comelec would also mount “Oplan Baklas” to remove all campaign materials that were illegally installed on trees, foot bridges, utility posts, and other public places. However, the Comelec cannot remove campaign materials from private properties in compliance with a Supreme Court ruling.
All candidates are allowed to have their campaign advertisements at 120 minutes per television station, and 180 minutes per radio station, during the 90-day campaign period.
The campaign period for local candidates is set to start on March 28.
In the past few months wherein the campaign period has not yet officially started, our country has already been inundated with what are obviously campaign materials, plastered all over and wherever. Because of a loophole in our election laws, the campaign has been ongoing for months already, albeit unofficial. Only today, February 11, do those materials become illegal for national candidates. However, local candidates have until March 28 to abuse the loophole, which means there is practically no relief for our trees, utility posts, and other public places their minions can hang posters on.
We wish the Comelec the best of luck in its efforts to enforce the law as far as illegal campaign materials are involved. Hopefully they can make a dent in making the upcoming campaign period “cleaner” than it usually is.*
