Comelec on candidates planning to file case after Oplan Baklas: ‘Mas maganda ‘yun’

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Monday that it would be better if critics of the Oplan Baklas file charges to have a better understanding of the policies.

Oplan Baklas, the drive to remove improper campaign materials, drew flak from critics who claim that there was mishandling in the rules, including the taking down of oversized posters in private properties.

READ: Postpone ‘Oplan Baklas’ – election laywer to Comelec

Jimenez stood firm on his stance that the commission has the right to regulate oversized posters in private premises.

READ: Comelec denies Oplan Baklas invades private premises: We ask permission first

“As of now po, base doon sa aming interpretasyon ng batas at ng Supreme Court jurisprudence, pwede nating i-regulate pagdating sa private property ‘yung sukat lamang, hindi ‘yung paglalagay or ‘yung dami ng ilalagay,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said during the Laging Handa public briefing.

(As of now, based on our interpretation of the law and the Supreme Court jurisprudence, we can regulate the size of campaign materials in private properties, not the posting itself or the volume of materials to be posted.)

He said that their basis is that campaign posters’ size should be two feet by three feet.

If there are individuals who want to file cases because of the poll body’s Oplan Baklas, the Comelec welcomes it.

READ: Murals ‘technically not included’ in ‘Oplan Baklas’ guidelines – Comelec exec

“Mas maganda po ‘yun. Tuloy na lang po nila para malinaw din ‘yung issue kasi ang sa amin po, may operational guidelines din naman kami,” Jimenez stressed.

(That is better. Pursue it so the issue would be clear because from our end, we have operational guidelines that were followed.)

“Again, bukas ang Comelec sa pagre-reevaluate ng guidelines na ‘yan, sa pagtitingin ulit ng polisiya at prinsipyo na sinusundan natin. Pero of course, kung gusto nila magkaso, that is perfectly well within their rights,” he added.

(Again, Comelec is open to reevaluating the guidelines, in looking into the policies and principles that we follow. But of course, if they want to file cases, that is perfectly well within their rights.)

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