THE COMMISSION on Elections XI strengthened its monitoring of candidates and supporters who may violate protocols as the 2025 mid-term polls approach.
During the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday, March 31, Comelec XI assistant regional coordinator Atty. Gay Enumerables said they are intensifying Oplan Baklas following the start of the campaign period of local elections.
Enumerables noted that local candidates are the most violators of election protocols such as posting of campaign materials outside the common designated areas.
“Most of the gathered illegal campaign materials are from the stretch of the national highway along Carmen,” she said.
She added that even posters installed in the designated area but not following standard sizing will be removed.
Comelec conducted the 2nd Oplan Baklas last Friday, March 28, the first day of the local campaign. But before that, officials already informed candidates, who then removed their posters and other materials voluntarily.
Enumerables said apart from the 1-day Oplan Baklas, they have personnel monitoring on the ground to ensure continued compliance of candidates. She noted that some candidates reinstalled their posters the next day in undesignated areas.
“If our personnel see that the candidates have posted again on the illegal area, we will notify them to remove it as soon as possible,” she stressed.
Candidates who fail to remove within 72 hours of being notified will receive a show cause order.
The Comelec also announced that it will start distributing the Voters Information Sheet (VIS) to the barangays in April.
Included in the VIS are the voter’s name, address, the precinct and the place the voter is registered, instructions on how to vote, and the list of the local and national candidates.
Enumerables told voters to be vigilant of the VIS as it might be used for vote buying.
“On the part of the voter, wag silang pumirma ng walang natanggap na VIS at kung mga blangko ang papel. Ang mga distributor ay may ID yan sila (they should not sign without receiving the VIS and if the paper is blank. The distributors have valid IDs)” she said.
Upon receipt of the VIS, the voter is required to affix their signature for the purpose of monitoring of distribution.
