Women leaders of 5 LGUs decry removal of Leni-Kiko campaign materials

Campaign materials of Leni-Kiko tandem displayed at their volunteer headquarters in Quezon City were removed. Screengrab from Comelec’s livestream.

MANILA, Philippines — Several women local government leaders have condemned the removal of campaign materials supporting the presidential and vice presidential candidacies of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan, as it is an attack on free speech.

In a statement shared by Robredo’s media bureau, the following officials called out the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for allowing local officers to put down streamers and other materials even if they were inside private property:

• Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman-Luistro
• Naga City Vice Mayor Cecilia De Asis
• Zambales Board Member Carolyn Senador-Fariñas
• Tuguegarao City Councilor Marjorie Martin
• Virac, Catanduanes Vice-Mayor Arlynn Arcilla

The officials were referring to Comelec’s Oplan Baklas, which affected the Robredo-Pangilinan volunteer site in Quezon City and another volunteer area in Santiago, Isabela — despite these being private property, as the supporters claimed.

“(The campaign is) an attack on our free speech and property rights,” Lagman-Luistro said in a statement.

“The brazen violations in carrying out Operation Baklas intimidate citizens into surrendering their rights,” she added, while claiming that Comelec’s powers are only limited to leveling the playing field for candidates and political parties, and not private citizens who campaign for their presidential bets like Robredo.

Tuguegarao’s Martin, on the other hand, said that while they respect Comelec’s power and mandate, she said that the poll body should not infringe on private citizens’ rights.

“We recognize the power of COMELEC to regulate elections and to ensure that no one, especially those who have the power, money and influence, takes advantage of our electoral process. But such power does not involve the intrusion on private property and most especially the violation of every Filipino’s freedom,” she explained.

Comelec drew flak last Wednesday after its personnel started removing allegedly oversized and illegally posted campaign materials of some presidential candidates, even as the candidates’ supporters maintained that the campaign materials were posted in private property.

READ: Comelec starts ‘Operation Baklas’; ‘unlawful’ election materials removed 

This led election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, who was also part of Robredo’s legal team in the poll protest, to urge private individuals affected by the regulations to file cases and prevent Comelec’s entry into private property if they can.

During a briefing last February 17, Macalintal presented videos taken by Robredo’s supporters in Santiago where the materials were removed by Comelec, with the help of police and fire officers.

What the Comelec should have done, Macalintal said, was to write a letter asking private citizens to remove the campaign materials if they see any such violation. If the private party will not comply, the poll body may then file a case.

READ: Comelec starts ‘Operation Baklas’; ‘unlawful’ election materials removed 

Martin said they are calling on Comelec, the Philippine National Police and the entire Oplan Baklas team to fulfill their mandate in accordance to laws, and with respect to free speech.

“We call on the COMELEC, the Philippine National Police and other members of the Baklas Team to perform their tasks in accordance to law and respect of a Filipinos right to freedom of speech and expression,” she added.

Another endorsement

Another set of former government workers have expressed their support to the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem, as 144 former employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) endorsed the said candidates for the 2022 national elections.

In a joint statement shared by the officers inside Robredo’s people campaign, the DSWD employees said that Pangilinan and Robredo have the widest experience regarding social work — as Robredo has been a social worker before her entry into politics, while Pangilinan has been a long time agriculture and food sufficiency advocate.

“Bilang mga dating lingkod-bayan na nanilbihan upang isulong ang kapakanan at karapatan ng mga mahihirap at kapuspalad, mahalaga sa amin ang malinis at mapagkalingang pamamalakad sa pamahalaan,” the former DSWD employees, which included past secretaries Lina Laigo and Judy Taguiwalo, said.

“Naniniwala kami na si VP Leni at Sen. Kiko ang may pinakamalawak na karanasan sa social welfare and development o kagalingang panlipunan,” they added.

The former DSWD employees are the latest in a string of personalities and officials who endorsed Robredo: last Friday, over 200 Filipino former officers of United Nations and its attached agencies said that the Vice President has the platform that would address the country’s current problems, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic.

READ: Former UN officers from PH back Robredo’s presidential bid 

Over 130 of the country’s top economists also said that Robredo’s sound platform is needed to help the country recover from its economic problems brought by the health crisis. Similarly, retired chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. said that Robredo and Pangilinan, compose the best tandem he has seen since the former magistrate started voting in 1957.

READ: Robredo’s solid economics, legal background key to PH recovery, says top economists 

READ: Ex-CJ Davide says Leni-Kiko ‘best tandem’; Salceda says Robredo ‘good for economy’