“THEY have to remove it.”
This was the warning of Bacolod City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan Sunday, November 21, 2021, following reports that some supporters of candidates hung their posters in various electrical posts and trees and at the public plaza.
“This is not only for the candidates, but it’s also for the business owners who are hanging their posters (in these areas) without securing a special permit,” Bayatan said.
He said the public plaza is intended for promenading and it is not a place for promoting anything, even personalities.
Bayatan added that placing posters in trees is also not allowed because of the prohibitory laws of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as part of the preservation of the trees, especially the endemic plants.
The lawyer further explained that placing posters in electrical posts also needs permits from the City for the purposes of advertisement.
“Whatever is there in the public places, they belong to the city government and the purpose there is to do business or promote anything then, it has to be regulated. That is part of the regulatory power of the city,” Bayatan said.
Last week, photos posted on social media showed some personnel assigned at the public plaza taking down a poster of a candidate in the area.
General Services Office head Guilda Lluisima said the City Legal Enforcement Team and the City Engineer’s Office personnel were ordered to take down posters hung in public areas without necessary permits.
Bayatan said they will also review the advertisement companies in the city who are posting giant posters to determine if they are paying the registration fees.
City Election Officer Kathrina Trinio-Caña earlier said that the campaign period will start on February 8, 2022, for the national level and in March for the local candidates.
“For now, we don’t have any authority to remove the posters or campaign materials of the candidates,” she added.
