More pols feel anti-‘epal’ pinch

At least two more Quezon City officials appear to be caving in to the growing clamor against so-called epal politicians by having their ubiquitous signs and streamers taken down.

Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo of the city’s second district Thursday said he had ordered his staff to tear down all of his posters.

“We have started to remove them all,” Castelo said, adding that he would also convince his relatives in politics, like Councilor Jessica Daza, to follow suit.

But he pointed out that “we have always limited our information drive in letting the public know the services they could derive from my office like hospital assistance, medicine subsidy, scholarship and free Tesda training.”

Meanwhile, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said his nephew, Quezon City Councilor Vincent Belmonte, had also started removing his posters in response to the anti-epal campaign.

“He was not just as quick as the others in doing it before the inspection which centered on his district,” the House leader said in a text message.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday ordered the removal of all billboards, streamers and signs bearing the faces and names of city officials. This was after City Hall also ordered workmen to start painting over the decorative “HB” tiles on sidewalks bearing Bautista’s initials.

These moves were seen as a victory for the civic and online movement assailing politicians who are prematurely promoting themselves for next year’s elections by taking credit for state-funded projects or using holidays or major events as an excuse to put up signs bearing their names and photos.

Last week, Malacañang ordered allies of President Benigno Aquino III (including Castelo who is a member of the Liberal Party) to heed his directive against self-promotion as part of his advocacy for good governance.

According to election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) may not have the power against such politicians but the public may hold them accountable by pushing for their disqualification.

In a statement Thursday, Macalintal said the posting of epal materials disguised as banners or posters may be used as a basis in filing a complaint by “any concerned citizen who can prove that he or she was unjustifiably annoyed or vexed by such apparently premature campaigning.”

“For sure, there is enough time from now until May 2013 to file such criminal cases against these persons and disqualify them from being a candidate,” the lawyer said.