The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Tagbilaran City has issued notices to candidates in the midterm polls in May to remove or dismantle campaign materials posted outside common poster areas across the city, warning them that failure to comply will result in the filing of election charges.

According to Tagbilaran Election Officer Atty. Selma, candidates were given five days from receipt of the notices to remove illegal posters.

“After gipada ang [notice], mura’g ipa-survey na pod na og utro kung ni-comply ba. Kung wa mi-comply na, naa man pud miy picture ana [mga poster], amo nalang ipahibaw nila then ang Comelec Manila na ang mo-file og appropriate charges,” said Selma.

Camps of the concerned candidates will carry out the removal of the illegal posters, not the Comelec, at least for now.

One the Comelec implements “Baklas” operations, the posers will be confiscated, he added.

“Ang kandidato mismo or ilang representative or mga taw maoy mo-remove sa posters, dili kami ang mo-remove ana, sila ang among gihanyo na ibalhin sa common poster areas,” said Selma.

Vicinities around barangay centers, public markets, sports centers or complexes and plazas have been pinpointed as some of the designated poster areas.

Based on Comelec guidelines, posters should not be bigger than the prescribed measurement of 2′ x 3′, while pamphlets and leaflets should only be a maximum of 8.5 inches x 14 inches in size.

The campaign period for national candidates started on February 12.

Local bets, on the other hand, are given campaign 45 days to campaign according to the Omnibus Election Code (OEC). Their campaign period will start on March 29  and end on May 11, two days before the polls. (RT)