By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has formed “Task Force Langkat” even as it would spearhead starting tomorrow a campaign to spot and remove misplaced political materials in the city.
City elections officer Palmer Palamine formed the task force composed of the key people of the Comelec, Interior department, military, and the police here during a meeting at the Maharlika headquarters of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) in Carmen on Saturday.
Palamine said members of the task force would carry out an operation to spot and remove misplaced campaign materials starting tomorrow, the first day of the 90-day campaign period for national candidates.
He said the Comelec in the city would strictly enforce provisions of the Fair Election Act, including the rules on the placement of posters and other campaign materials.
The election law, he said, prohibits candidates and their groups from placing political propaganda materials on trees, electric posts, walls, fences, public vehicles, and just about any place that has not been designated as common areas for campaign materials.
Palamine said the Comelec would identify the poster areas such as barangay halls and public plazas.
“Didto sa mga common poster areas nga gi-identify sa Comelec, ang mga kandidato puwedeng magbuhat silag wooden structures nga dili molabaw 12 to 16 feet ang gitas-on, ug didto nila ibutang ang ilang mga posters,” he said.
Palamine said there were other regulations like leaflets should not exceed eight and a half inches while posters should not exceed 2×3 feet.
He said the Comelec would disqualify candidates who would violate the Fair Election Act.
For starters, the task force would focus on spotting and removing misplaced campaign materials of candidates for President and Vice President, and those seeking Senate seats.
Palamine said the task force would include the misplaced campaign materials of those running for local positions on March 26, a day after the start of the 45-day campaign period for local candidates.
“Holy Friday man kanang March 25. Didto na mag-start sa March 26 hangtud sa May 7,” he said.
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