PNP tears down over 245,716 oversized, misplaced election campaign materials

A total of 245,716 oversized and misplaced campaign posters and materials have been removed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) around the country as part of its crackdown against unlawful placing and sizing of election paraphernalia, a police official said Saturday.

This was the result of 12,616 operations nationwide conducted from the start of the election period on January 13 to Friday, May 3, to remove and tear down illegal and misplaced campaign materials, said Police Colonel Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman.

Data released by Banac to the media showed Bicol (Region 5) registered the most number of removed campaign materials with 36,885, while Caraga (Region 13) had the least number with 598.

Others in the list from most to least number of removed campaign materials are: Northern Mindanao (Region 10) with 31,041; Central Luzon (Region 3) with 21,734; Calabarzon (Region 4A) with 18,358; Western Visayas (Region 6) with 17,942; Davao (Region 11) with 17,736;

Central Visayas (Region 7) with 16,233; Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) with 12,679; Cagayan Valley (Region 2) with 12,482; Ilocos (Region 1) with 11,259; Cordillera Region with 10,950;

Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) with 9,705; Eastern Visayas (Region 8) with 9,690; Soccsksargen (Region 12) with 9,552; National Capital Region (NCR) with 5,226; and Mimaropa (Region 4B) with 3,646.

“However, new posters and campaign materials continue to sprout and appear in places not allowed by [the] Comelec [Commission on Elections],” Banac said.

“Thus, we urge and call upon all supporters of candidates to obey the Comelec rules on proper placement of campaign posters and materials to maintain discipline and order in public places,” he added.

The PNP spokesman also commended all the candidates who have “followed the rules” and “voluntarily removed or transferred their posters and campaign materials” to the proper and authorized places designated by the Comelec.

Under Comelec Resolution 10488 which serves as the implementing rules and regulations of the Fair Election Act for the May 13 midterm polls, the size of campaign posters shall be limited to 2x3 feet and placed only in “Comelec poster areas” that are determined by local election officers.

Meanwhile, the posters and tarpaulins of party-list groups and other political parties shall measure 12x16 feet only.

The said poster areas include public places such as “plazas, markets, barangay centers, and the likes where posters may be readily seen or read, and with the heaviest pedestrian and/ or vehicular traffic in the city or municipality.”

It also includes private properties provided that the posting has the consent of the owner.

The resolution describes illegal campaign materials as those oversized, misplaced or both.

Violation of the Comelec rule is punishable by up to six years imprisonment, fines, and disqualification, according to the poll body.