Acting Bacolod Comelec officer lawyer Revo Sorbito yesterday, February 6, said the “Task Force Baklas” is composed by personnel from Comelec, Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
After their meeting, the task force will monitor all the billboards and tarpaulins in different areas in Bacolod, Sorbito said, as he warned that candidates should place their tarpaulins in identified common poster areas in various barangays.
He noted that the Comelec already released the lists of the identified common poster areas in different barangays which includes highway vacant lots or near the barangay hall.
“If the candidates fail to remove their illegal posters, we will notify them that they have to remove it,” Sorbito said.
If there are massive illegal posters in the barangays, Sorbito said, the residents or the barangay officials can coordinate with the Task Force so they can act on it.
The Comelec urged the candidates as well as their supporters to follow the campaign rules to avoid posting tarpaulins on trees, electrical posts, waiting shed, sidewalk, traffic signs, bridges, barangay hall, public shrine, airports, seaports, public utility vehicles, and patrol cars.
Sorbito said the candidates should also be mindful of the start of the campaign period and remove all their oversize tarpaulins which should not exceed two feet by three feet otherwise, they will be violating the campaign rules.
He said this will also apply to all the local candidates when the local campaign period will start in March.
Sorbito also appealed to all the candidates and their supporters to help them to make the election successful in Bacolod City.*