The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has sent notices to at least 36 candidates in Cebu province to take down their llegal campaign materials.
Cebu provincial election supervisor Eddie Aba said the candidates were given three days from receipt of the notices to remove their illegal campaign materials or face legal action by the Comelec.
Aba ordered all election officers in the province to take photographs of the unlawful campaign materials.
He said the names of erring candidates would be submitted to the Comelec’s law department in Manila for investigation.
If there is sufficient basis, appropriate charges will be filed against the candidate.
Violators of election laws face one to six years imprisonment without probation.
Aside from the jail term, Aba said anyone found guilty of violating campaign guidelines shall be disqualified from holding public office and will be a ground for the candidate’s disqualification.
Aside from serving notices to individual candidates the Comelec also served it to political parties, namely the Liberal Party – Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya, One Cebu – United Nationalist Alliance and Partido ng Masang Pilipino.
Campaign materials are prohibited on trees, telephone and electrical lines and posts, school gates, different public utility vehicles such as bus, jeepney, tricycle, pedicab, as well as other non-common poster areas.
Based on records of the Cebu provincial Comelec, notices were served to nine candidates in Pilar, Camotes; nine in Talisay City; four candidates in Dumanjug; four in Tudela; four in Poro, Camotes; two in San Remigio; one in Dalaguete; and three political parties in Catmon.
Aba said the other election officers in the province have yet to submit the list of candidates who received notices from the Comelec.
Aside from the poll body, ordinary citizens are also encouraged to file complaints against candidates with illegal campaign posters.
Environment lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, has filed complaints against five candidates for violation of election laws.
Ramos of the Philippine Earth Justice Center Inc. requested Comelec to iinvestigate Liloan Mayor Duke Frasco, Rep. Pablo John Garcia, Liloan council candidate Gideon Cabatingan, and Cebu City council candidates Edwin Jagmoc and Sisinio Andales for illegal campaign materials.