This early, Comelec spots poll violations

JUST HOURS after the campaign season was declared open, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it had already spotted some potential violators of the election campaign rules.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, who also oversees monitoring of election propaganda, said his team observed violations in the “common poster area” rule in the first few hours of the 90day campaign period for national positions.

Jimenez said they monitored illegal campaign ads along España and Quezon Boulevards in Manila, near the venue of Team PNoy’s kickoff rally last night.

“We already saw violations of the common poster area rule. We saw posters attached to electric posts, which is prohibited,” he said in an interview with reporters. These posters also exceeded the allowable size as indicated in the rules, he added.

But he was quick to add that the election bodywould give Team PNoy “some room for liberality” as posters were expected to be mounted “in keeping with the atmosphere for the rally.”

However, these posters were expected to be taken down 24 hours after the rally. The same rule will be applied in Cebu City, where the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) decided to begin their campaign.

Jimenez also said some party-list groups have pasted posters along the plant boxes and waiting sheds along España Boulevard.

Jimenez said he expected more reports of initial violations to come in from other parts of the country.