• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As the campaign period for national candidates kicked off on February 11, the Commission on Elections urged candidates and their supporters not to nail campaign materials on trees and utility posts.
The appeal was made yesterday by Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec regional director for Negros Island Region, as they simultaneously started their island-wide “Operation Baklas” campaign of removing the campaign materials of senatorial and party-list candidates posted outside the designated areas.
In case of emergencies, personnel of power distribution utilities may find it difficult to act immediately, because of campaign materials placed at electrical poles, Castillano said.
Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria, provincial election supervisor of Negros Occidental, also appealed to candidates not to place their posters on trees, as it is considered “environmentally unsound,” or it is not good for the environment.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has repeatedly said that hammering a nail into a tree will slowly kill it.
Ananoria also said that a representative from the local prosecutor’s office will assist them in the Operation Baklas operations, for filing complaints against violators.
On the other hand, Castillano said that campaign materials are also being prohibited for nailing at waiting sheds, public buildings, barangay halls, as well as other public places not identified as common poster areas.
He, however, said they cannot implement Operation Baklas on private property.
Based on his initial monitoring in all Comelec offices all over the region, Castillano said they have complied with the instructions to start Operation Baklas in their respective areas.
On the other hand, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson called on candidates to respect each other while campaigning, as he received reports of tarpaulins being vandalized and torn.
While tarpaulins don’t win the elections, I think it is very important for candidates to respect each other, Lacson said. While he expects that the campaign period will be noisy, I would think that Negros Occidental will have peaceful elections, he added.*
