Oversized posters may ban six bets from presidential contest

Six of nine Philippine presidential candidates may face disqualification after their campaign materials have reportedly exceeded size limits and were allegedly posted in areas where these are disallowed. Several campaign materials of Senator Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III (Liberal Party), former president Joseph M. Ejercito Estrada (Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino-UNO), Senator Richard J. Gordon (Bagumbayan), Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), evangelist Eddie C. Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas), and Senator Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party) seem to violate campaign regulations, a Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson told reporters.
These candidates are facing possible disqualification for possible violation of rules covering campaign materials, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said, citing documentation collected by the body’s Education and Information Department (EID).

Campaign materials of vice presidential candidates Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and former Metro Manila Development Authority chief Bayani Fernando and senatorial aspirants Senator Lito Lapid, Atty. JV Bautista, and broadcaster Rey Langit were also found to have breached the poll body’s restrictions. "We would not expect this normally since they are very staunch advocates of obeying the law [but] everyone is equally in violation it would seem," Jimenez told reporters. Candidates' campaign paraphernalia were either posted in areas outside of the common poster areas or were in violation of the size limitation prescribed by the law. Resolution 8758 requires candidates to put up their advertisements on common poster areas such as plazas, markets, and barangay centers. Party-list groups and political parties are only allowed to construct 12 x 16 feet poster areas while independent candidates may only erect 4 x 6 feet poster areas or its equivalent. The resolution also requires that posters should not exceed 2 x 3 feet while streamers should not be more than 3 x 8 feet. "The state of compliance is rather dismal," said Jimenez. "We will submit this report to the law department so that the law department, if they feel that it's necessary, initiate legal action as soon as possible," he said. He said that the candidates will be informed of their violation and be given three days to remove their campaign materials. "Hopefully the warning will be enough to take down these illegal postings," he told GMANews.TV in a separate interview. But if the candidates do not comply, they may be found guilty of an election offense, Jimenez said. "Kung hindi nila tinanggal (If they don't remove the materials), we will have to talk about legal action, that is an election offense, there is the possibility of disqualification," he said. Violation of Resolution 8758 constitutes an election offense, which is punishable by one to six years imprisonment, disenfranchisement, and disqualification from holding public office. However, Jimenez said that it would be better if someone other than them would file the complaint. "How can we, on our own, file a case, if we have to decide the case ourselves?" he asked. Comelec Law Department head Ferdinand Rafanan could not be immediately reached for comment. Meanwhile, Jimenez said that the poll body is thinking of having the 1,631 common poster areas listed on their website to make it easier for the candidates. "It is the responsibility of the candidates to know where they can legally post their materials but still just to help them along... we'll make it easily available to them," he said. Earlier, the Comelec deputized the Department of Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metro Manila Development Authority to help them tear down illegal propaganda materials. - LBG, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV