Manila Standard, Apr. 3, 2019, Setting An Example.pdf

Opinion.

44

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orvrsoev,ApRll 3, 2o1e

[email protected]

Setting an example HE Commission on Elections has ordered ing campaign materials are indeed removed' oa if tltby administration candidates for senator

to

take down the oversize campaign materials #: #6g|$j|!"|tfl:qffi,; are imposed. Finally, it must featuring PDP-Laban party bets in an electronic also publicize these actions billboard on a condominium building along EDSA as an example to all others or face charges for violating election laws. who violate campaign laws. Of courseo it isn't only the In a series of Twitter posts, spokesman James Jimenez Comelec that needs to set an Comelec Commissioner Ro- also tweeted photos of Go's wena Guanzon said the poll campaign posiers-aloug Quebody issued the waming in zon Avenue. response to online criticism "These posters are of the the biilboar& feahring Ma- right size, but the locatiou is guindanao Rep. Dong Man- wiong," Jimenez tweeted, sudadatu, fomer PhiliBBinc The statemente eiting eamNational Poliee ehicf Rbhald paien violationc by the ad. dela Roca, formcr speeial as. inin-ictration eandi-dates are sistant to the oreeident Chric- weleome. eomine from a ooll topher Go, Sbnator Aquilino ageney that ic oft-en Bereefved Pimentel III and former presi- as beinc too lenient. oartieudential adviser for political larlv wf,en it comes i
of

posteis

now."

Two days ago, Comelec

Candidates who aspire to become lawmakers must first show they know how to resBect the law,

Ii isn't enough for these

eandidates to e[aim that the illegal eampaign materials werb out u-u bv unnamed

supBoiters'without their

knowledge or approval, Nor is it enough that they issue a public -statement pleading with these follow-ers to take down the posters. What good governance they must do is prove their doesn't begin and end with sincerity and ability to folTwitter posts, and calling low the rules bv havine their out the candidates just isn't staff remove the otre.-ndtsg enough. materials wherever theyrye its warnings ate to be found and reported. A-!pr taken seriously, the Cpr-nelec all, ifthey cannot follow the needstoensurethatfollow-up rules, what gives them the actions bre taken in a timely Slght to set them for everymanner, and that the offend- body else?

PDP-Labanparty. But "These oversize campaign materials on electronic billboards are prohibited," Guanzon said in her tweet, saying that "by public demand, candidates Bong Go and Tolentino please take down your

example.

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