MANILA, Philippines — A number of candidates blatantly violated Commission on Elections (Comelec) regulations at the start of the campaign period for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) yesterday.
Tarpaulins showing images of candidates were posted at the fence of the barangay hall of Brgy. 154 in Tondo, Manila, according to earlier reports.
Other posters of candidates were also seen on an electric pole at the corner of Felix Huertas Road and Fugoso Street in Sampaloc.
Some posters were even displayed like streamers or banderitas in between streetlights, alongside so-called spaghetti wires, below the footbridge connecting Doroteo Jose station of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 and Recto station of LRT Line 2.
In Mandaluyong, campaign materials of candidates in Barangay Addition Hills were posted outside designated common areas, in violation of the rules and regulations set by the Comelec. The campaign posters were placed on electric posts near electrical wires, which could be a fire hazard.
“There are a number of violations like placing campaign materials on electric posts and power lines,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said.
“Take extra care because you may get disqualified,” he warned the erring candidates in Filipino.
The poll chief said candidates should remind their supporters to put up campaign materials only in common poster areas on private property but upon approval of the owner.
Garcia said candidates would be held liable if those campaign materials were found beyond the common poster area. The Comelec, he said, will remove the illegally posted campaign materials and file a disqualification case against the candidates.
The Comelec, Garcia stressed, will be doubly strict in enforcing election prohibitions, especially on vote buying.
As of Oct. 18, the Comelec already filed 145 disqualification petitions against 145 BSKE candidates for premature campaigning. They are among the more than 7,000 candidates given show cause orders by the commission. Of these, 3,499 submitted their answers while 809 complaints were dropped for lack of factual basis.
DIsqualified
Meanwhile, the Comelec disqualified candidate for barangay chairman Benedicto Santos Jr. of Bagumbayan in Taguig City for being declared a nuisance candidate.
In a decision promulgated last Oct. 13, Comelec dismissed Santos for using a nickname similar to the nickname of another candidate for the same position, creating confusion among voters.
Comelec also ordered the disqualification of six other candidates for the upcoming barangay polls in Masbate, Iloilo, Surigao del Norte, Bukidnon, Northern Samar and Cavite on various grounds.
The Comelec also barred a candidate for barangay captain in Quezon City from running in the BSKE as he was “perpetually disqualified” to hold public office.
Comelec canceled the certificate of candidacy of Manuel Guarin of Brgy. Payatas in Quezon City, stating that the Ombudsman’s decision to perpetually disqualify Guarin from holding public office has become final and executory.
Guarin was an incumbent barangay chairman when he was charged with grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service for illegal disbursement of barangay funds. Comelec said Guarin was well aware of his disqualification when he filed his COC for the BSKE.
Campaign kicks off
BSKE candidates were up as early as midnight to help in displaying their posters as soon as the campaign period started.
Candidates in Tondo and Divisoria braved the intermittent rains in holding their face-to-face and house-to-house rallies and meeting their potential voters and supporters. They even hired street drummers to hype up their rallies.
However, less fanfare was observed at the start of the campaign in other areas in Manila, particularly in Sta. Ana. Candidates in Brgy. 885, for instance, did not hold any campaign rally.
The Manila local government warned candidates they should avoid posting their campaign materials in public structures like barangay halls, schools and shrines, government vehicles, and government-owned public transport vehicles like train systems.
Campaign posters should not also be seen at waiting sheds, sidewalks, street and lamp posts, electrical posts, traffic signs, pedestrian overpasses and underpasses, flyovers, bridges, streets, and center islands, the city government added.
Only common poster areas and private properties, upon permission of owners, are the areas allowed for campaign materials, it also said.
In the cities of San Juan, Mandaluyong, Marikina and Pasig, the candidates kicked off their campaign for barangay and SK posts peacefully. In Pasig, candidates went on a house-to-house campaign despite rains to attract voters.
Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon urged BSKE bets to conduct clean and peaceful campaigns by providing clear platforms and programs instead of resorting to destructive campaigning.
“One final reminder, I call on all candidates to do a clean campaign focused on presenting the best they can offer to people,” Biazon said. “Platforms instead of mudslinging,” he said, urging the public to choose candidates wisely.
Relatively peaceful
The first day of the campaign period for the BSKE was relatively peaceful, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Thursday.
Citing reports from police regional offices across the country, PNP public information officer Col. Jean Fajardo said there were no recorded incidents of violence and other untoward incidents related to the elections. “Relatively peaceful including areas under areas of concern,” she said.
There are 356 barangays under the red category or areas of grave concern due to intense political rivalry, possible violence and presence of lawless groups. Up to 1,325 barangays are under the orange category or areas of immediate concern and 1,196 under the yellow category or areas of concern.
Fajardo earlier said around 187,000 police officers are securing the BSKE, including the conduct of elections on Oct. 30.
Eastern Police District director Brig. Gen. Wilson Asueta said they will deploy 1,881 police officers to secure polling places on election day. The number does not include the policemen involved in regular crime prevention and anti-criminality operations.
For his part, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos has tasked the PNP to increase police visibility to ensure a violence-free campaign.
“Police visibility remains a priority and the PNP is ready to deploy more personnel particularly in areas determined by Comelec as areas of concern, in our bid to maintain public safety and security and prevent all forms of election-related violence in communities,” Abalos said.
The campaign period will be from Oct. 19 to 28. There are over 1.4-milliion candidates for the BSKE, including over 42,000 candidates for barangay chairperson.
Accident
In San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, a barangay secretary was killed yesterday morning while on her way to inspect tarpaulin sizes of BSKE candidates in Barangay Minuyan 1.
Barangay chairman Teresa Camua has confirmed to The STAR that secretary Angelica Catague was killed when a MagicLine passenger bus with license plate UWK 868 bumped their patrol vehicle from behind causing the victim to fall from it.
San Jose del Monte deputy police chief Maj. Joel Alba said initial investigation showed the barangay patrol vehicle was hit by the passenger bus and the victim was rolled over by the bus following impact.
The report added the bus driver tried to leave the scene of the incident but was chased by concerned citizens and motorists. Bystanders turned over the driver to responding police operatives.
Oplan Biyaheng Ayos
Local air carriers Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, AirAsia Philippines, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines expressed readiness for “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos” as some 1.2 million passengers are expected to pass through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on their way to their home provinces this All Saints’ Day and BSKE.
PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna reminded travelers to make sure to pack their own suitcase and not accept or carry luggage from anyone. She also advised travelers to always bring a valid government-issued ID, check the traffic situation en route to the airport and find alternative routes if applicable.
Cebu Pacific spokesperson and Carmina Romero advised passengers to check-in online via the official CEB mobile app or the Manage Booking section of the CEB website to avoid long lines at the airport. She said passengers affected by flight disruptions who are entitled to avail themselves of meals may simply present their boarding passes to CEB-accredited stores within NAIA T3.
“AirAsia is more than ready to accommodate the greater influx of travelers during these times. We have enough manpower to meet increased operational requirements and augmented Customer Happiness helpdesks at the NAIA Terminal 2,” AirAsia Philippines spokesman Steve Dailisan said.
MIAA officer-in-charge Bryan Co said MIAA is working closely with local carriers to ensure a seamless experience for the riding public.
Advocacy
As the two-week BSKE campaign period started, the National Resilience Council (NRC) called on the public to vote for candidates who have advocacy on disaster preparedness.
“Under Republic Act 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act), all barangays are mandated to teach disaster preparedness but less than 50 percent provided information campaigns,” NRC executive director Silvestre Barrameda Jr. said.
“Those who are running for the BSKE and those incumbent officials who want to be reelected, this is a good opportunity to strengthen the advocacy to institutionalize prevention and mitigation. Investment now is investment for our future,” Barrameda added.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said more than 100 barangays in the country were identified as most at risk of flooding amid the worsening impact of climate change.
Environment Undersecretary Carlos David added that concerned national agencies were already informed as he stressed the need for each barangay to be more proactive to lessen the impact of flooding. — Ramon Efren Lazaro, Rudy Santos, Bella Cariaso, Emmanuel Tupas, Ghio Ong, Romina Cabrera, Nillicent Bautista