3 candidates face poll raps Lawyer accuses them of posting campaign materials in non-designated areas, among others
Rep. Pablo John Garcia questions Atty. Gloria EstenzoRamos’s motive for filing the complaint against him, Liloan Mayor Duke Frasco and a candidate for the town’s council, cites her propensity to file cases against the suspended governor who is his sister
THE co-founder of the Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC) filed a complaint at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against three political candidates for allegedly posting campaign materials in nondesignated areas, as well as using oversized and unprescribed posters.
The subjects of the complaint are Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, One Cebu Party’s gubernatorial bet, and reelectionist Liloan Mayor Duke Frasco and Gideon Cabatingan, a candidate for the Municipal Council.
Atty. Gloria Estenzo-Ramos said the candidates violated provisions of the Omnibus Election Code and Comelec Resolution 9615, or the Rules and Regulations implementing the Fair Elections Act in connection with next month’s elections.
The provision on using Common Poster Areas prohibits posters on posts, trees and walls of a building or an existing public structure in active use.
Ramos said the congressman’s campaign posters were found on trees, electric posts and waiting sheds. Some of these were allegedly oversized and unprescribed.
As for Frasco’s posters, there were found on trees near and around the Municipal Hall, across the police station and along the highway and two posters on trees marked “Heritage Tree.”
“Selective”
She said Cabatingan’s campaign materials were also found on trees and electric posts.
Garcia, for his part, questioned Ramos’s complaint.
“She didn’t file against Davide and Magpale?” he said in a text message.
Garcia is running against the Liberal Party’s Hilario Davide III whose runningmate is Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale.
He said the complaint was selective. “Well, she’ll have to prove that I personally put up those posters and not my opponent whom she supports, to put me in a bad light. Besides, how do we know she and her group didn’t remove our posters and transfer them to trees just so we’ll get into trouble?” he said.
Garcia described the filing of complaint by Ramos as an obsession.
“Considering her obsession with filing cases against my sister, is that possibility that remote?…Obsession with and past history of…,” he said.
Meanwhile, Frasco assured that campaign materials outside the common posting areas will be removed.
Ramos said the PEJC has an existing agreement with Comelec to implement the “Basura-Free Elections 2013” and to compel local chief executives, political parties and candidates to observe the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.