2 party-lists face raps for violating campaign poster areas

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Monday it would file election offense charges against two party-list groups for failing to act on its notice sent last week to take down their illegal campaign posters.

In a press briefing, Comelec law department head Esmeralda Ladra said Kabataan party-list and Piston Land Transportation Coalition did not remove their posters mounted outside the designated poster areas in Metro Manila even if they were given three days to comply with the Comelec rules.

In the same breath, Ladra also said the entire Team PNoy senatorial slate were also issued notices, also for violating the poster rule. An illegal campaign poster by the Team PNoy was spotted on an electric post along the West Service Road in Parañaque City.

Records showed that the Comelec sent two notices to Kabataan on Feb. 19. Piston was also sent a notice on the same day.  The deadline for them to heed the Comelec’s notice was last Friday (Feb. 22).

But when the Comelec law department made the rounds on Saturday to check their compliance with the order, their posters were still seen along Taft Avenue in Manila.

Ladra specifically said posters of the two groups were still plastered on the walls of the Philippine General Hospital, a public building at that, on Taft Avenue.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. has earlier warned party-list groups to strictly comply with the campaign rules or risk disqualification from the May 13 balloting.

So far, the Comelec law department has already sent notices to 12 senatorial candidates, mostly from Team PNoy and the United Nationalist Alliance.

Ladra named them as Risa Hontiveros, Representatives Juan Ponce Enrile Jr., Sonny Angara and Teddy Casiño, Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Francis Escudero and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, Mayor Edward Hagedorn, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Jamby Madrigal, Bam Aquino and Nancy Binay.

Aside from Kabataan and Piston, at least eight more party-list groups have also been sent notices since last week: Buhay party-list, LPG Marketers Association, Sanlakas, Anak Mindanao, Anakpawis, Magdalo, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta and 1-Joint Alliance of Marginalized Group.