Pols urged to remove campaign materials

THE COMMISSION on Elections in Benguet is set to conduct ‘operation baklas’ and have sought the help of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan candidates to get rid of all campaign paraphernalia.

Comelec provin- cial election supervisor Elenita Capuyan said winning and losing candidates should voluntarily take down the campaign posters.

“Bring down all campaign paraphernalias as soon as possible,” Capuyan stressed.

‘Operation baklas’ will be conducted by the Philippine National Police, Depart-

ment of Public Works and Highways and the different Comelec offices. The monitoring and operation is set to start on May 21 and 23.

Meanwhile, a post-evaluation meeting is set on May 22 to discuss the observations and problems encountered during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

The Comelec reminded all candidates who run for these years’ elections to immediately file their statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) on or before June 14.

Without SOCE, the candidates are subjected to an administrative fine of P1,000 to P30,000 depending on the discretion of the commission, and will not be allowed to take their oath as officials.

Capuyan added a candidate who failed to file his SOC twice may lead to perpetual disqualification.

Earlier, Comelec-Cordillera regional director Julius Torres asked the aid of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to prevent winning officials from resuming to office without SOCE’s.