A Commission on Elections-led task force began removing oversized campaign materials of national candidates and those located outside designated common poster areas in Bacolod City on Friday, February 11.
Task Baklas removed campaign materials along Lacson Street starting from Barangay Bata to the provincial Capitol area, and will proceed to other major thoroughfares in the city before going to the barangays, Acting Bacolod Election Officer Revo Sorbito said.
Many of the illegal campaign materials were on trees and posts, he said.
Some of the big tarpaulins of national candidates had already been removed by their supporters, Sorbito also said.
The Comelec will be writing to owners of private properties to remove oversized campaign materials from their premises, he said.
Campaign materials must only be two by three feet in size, Sorbito said.
The Comelec for now will just be removing illegal campaign materials, but complaints will be filed against those who remain defiant and continue to blatantly violate the rules, he said.
Task Forces Baklas will be removing illegal campaign materials every Friday, he added.
Sorbito reiterated that Bacolod is not a Comelec area of concern even if there is intense political rivalry, because no election related violence has occurred in the city.
There are no private armies in Bacolod, he also said.
Task forces in towns and cities of Negros Occidental are also removing illegal campaign materials of national candidates, Acting Provincial Elections Supervisor Roberto Salazar said.*