IN THE MATTER OF THE DEPUTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS (DPWH) AND THE MANILA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (MMDA) IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 7767 PROMULGATED 30 NOVEMBER 2006, RELATIVE TO THE REMOVAL, CONFISCATION AND DESTRUCTION OF PROHIBITED PROPAGANDA MATERIALS NATIONWIDE AND IN THE NCR, RESPECTIVELY, DURING CAMPAIGN PERIOD.
Archive for February, 2007
Poll body bares grounds why it junked Ang Ladlad accreditation bid
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Second Division ruled yesterday that the petition for registration and accreditation of ANG LADLAD PARTY is ‘denied for lack of merit.’
In a resolution dated February 27, 2007 and signed by Presiding Commissioner Florentino A. Tuason Jr. and member Commissioners Rene V. Sarmiento and Nicodemo T. Ferrer; the COMELEC Second Division said that Ang Ladlad declared untruthful statements in their petition submitted before the Commission on September 15, 2006.
The resolution states: “Contrary to petitioner’s allegation in its petition that its membership is national in scope, reports from our field offices reveal that it doesn’t exist in most regions of the country.”
COMELEC Spokesman James Jimenez, for his part, said Ang Ladlad’s petition was rejected simply because it failed to comply with all the requirements of the law.
“The question of constituency is very important especially if you declare your party or organization as a national party with national membership” he said.
Jimenez however clarified that the poll body, in reaching the decision, never doubted Ang Ladlad’s sincerity in pushing for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender agenda if elected to Congress. “But we have to follow what the law says” he said.
COMELEC warns candidates against unlawful ‘happy graduation’ greeting
With graduation day just around the corner, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) today issued a warning to all political bets not to use this occasion to bolster their electoral bid.
“Misplaced streamers, posters and other materials that contain graduation greeting from political bets will bring the candidates more problems instead of votes. We therefore advise candidates not to waste their money and just avoid posting these unlawful greetings” said COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez.
He said candidates should only post lawful election propaganda on designated COMELEC common poster areas. COMELEC Resolution 7767, as amended, states that posting on public places such as ‘streets, bridges, public structures or buildings, trees, electric posts or wires, schools, shrines, main thoroughfares, and the like’ are prohibited.
“While we believe that our new graduates truly deserve our praise and commendation for their years of struggle and hard work in their studies, wishing them well and greeting them through the heaps of streamers and posters, with the politicos’ smiling faces and their boldly lettered names nearly covering the entire length of the streamer placed in eye-catching but prohibited spots, is not only illegal but downright unpleasant” said Jimenez.
He said, he is issuing this warning now because public places are expected to be festooned with streamers greeting our newly grads next month.
COMELEC to enforce one candidate, one poster rule
In a bid to ‘equitably accommodate all the national and local candidates, as well as party-list groups’, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to day said that it would implement a one poster per candidate policy in all COMELEC designated common poster areas (CPAs) nationwide.
In a February 20 memo to all Regional Election Directors in the country, COMELEC Chairman Benjamin S. Abalos ordered the establishment of additional CPAs as candidates have been using the lack of such as convenient scapegoats in posting their campaign material even on restricted areas.
Abalos also directed the Regional Election Directors to ensure ‘equal access’ to all candidates to the CPAs and that the one poster per candidate rule are strictly followed. He also ordered them to designate personnel that would ‘supervise, oversee and monitor’ the activities at the CPAs.
COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez, for his part, called on all the candidates to adhere to Section 24 of COMELEC Resolution No. 7767 regarding the use of common poster areas and the latest COMELEC memo.
“The one candidate, one poster rule on designated common poster areas will be strictly enforced to ensure a level playing field for all candidates in this year’s elections. So, for the sake of fairness; we call on all national, local and party-list bets to follow the rules” Jimenez said.
Jimenez adds that all Regional Election Directors are mandated to submit a compliance report to the COMELEC central office within ten days following the dissemination of the February 20 directive.
Comelec Resolution No. 7827
IN THE MATTER OF EXEMPTING AUTOMATICALLY FROM THE GUN BAN THE CHAIRMEN, VICE-CHAIRMEN AND MEMBERS OF THE VARIOUS BOARDS OF CANVASSERS FROM THE START OF THE CANVASS UNTIL PROCLAMATION OF CANDIDATES
