Comelec chief takes photos, files cases

Another set of candidates will face complaints filed before the Commission on Elections in Central Visayas (Comelec-7) for posting illegally-sized posters in non-designated areas in Cebu City.

This time the complainant is Regional Comelec-7 Director Temie Lambino, who said he took photos of three national and local candidates on V. Rama and P. del Rosario Street.

The senatorial candidates were Sonny Angara, Edward Hagedorn, and General Ramon Montaño while the local candidates were Imok Rupinta, Jong-Jong Alcover and Jerry Guardo, all council candidates of Team Rama.

He said he also noted an illegal poster of council candidate Michael Ralota of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) near the Central Command Office but found out that it was already removed yesterday.

“I will testify against them,” he told Cebu Daily News.

He asked Cebu City election officers Edwin Cadungog and Marchel Sarno to send notices to the four local candidates yesterday and order them to remove their illegal posters.

“If they still do not do anything within three days, we will file a disqualification case against them,” he said.

Since the national candidates are beyond Comelec-7’s jurisdiction, Lambino sent his report to the Comelec central office for action.

“We should really follow businessman Dennis Maravillas. What he has done—to file complaint against two local canidates–is very admirable,” he said.

“Citizens power is what we really need now. The process is very simple anyway.” Lambino added.

Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district said he and his BO-PK lineup will comply with Comelec’s recommendations. “We’ll just do what Comelec says,” he said.

He said he already asked his supporters to remove his Type O posters in barangay Mambaling during the start of the campaign period for local candidates.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said his candidates are old enough to know how to act upon the complaint accordingly.

But he took exception to reports that the Comelec focused only on his lineup.

“Will they be only picking on us? How about the others?,” he asked.

Rama said it was the national government’s fault that they didn’t issue the requirements before the campaign period.

“The 30-day period is almost finished but still how should these campaign materials be cleared? How long will it take to clean the entire Philippines?,” Rama said.

Rama said people should pray for rain so illegally used campaign posters can easily be removed.

Lambino said he only saw the Team Rama posters and had no biases against them.

He said he will file complaints against erring BO-PK councilors if they committed violations.

Lambino said there was nothing admirable about Guardo and Arcilla’s removal of their posters on Maravillas’ gate because it was their job to correct their fault in the first place. “It’s their obligation,” he said.

Maravillas said in a text message that as of 12 noon yesterday, 30 percent of Guardo’s posters are still on his fence. An hour after, Guardo sent two workers to remove his posters. With intern Jannica Niña G. Papelleras