CEBU CITY (PNA) – City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has authorized the public to remove posters, banners and streamers that are outside the designated places, even if they belong to his allies in the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kaus-wagan (BOPK) and the Liberal Party (LP).

“I’ll deputize the whole city of Cebu. If somebody puts a poster in the telephone post in front of your house, please remove it. Including BOPK posters, of course,” Osmeña said.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will give a three-day notice to those who failed to follow the designated common poster areas, Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said.

After that, the Comelec will organize a team who will take charge in tearing down the posters which were illegally placed, particularly on the electric posts and trees.

A Cebu City election officer echoed Osmeña’s appeal and said that the public should not be content with reporting illegal campaign materials to the Comelec.

Comelec Cebu City’s north district office will coordinate with the Police Regional Office 7 (PRO 7) for an operation to remove all campaign materials placed outside the designated common poster areas, which include the barangay halls, public markets, and public plazas.

Materials may be posted on private properties, provided that the owners give their consent.

The grinning faces of politicians in posters hanging from trees, utility posts, and walls greeted residents here when they woke up on the first day of the campaign for national officials Tuesday.

The Comelec has given the candidates three days to remove them.

Osmeña said he would not put up any poster of himself and just distribute fliers and calendars with his photo with LP standard bearer Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas.

He said, though, that his face might appear in group photos of BOPK posters for the party’s campaign. BOPK allies are running under LP.

Osmeña said he did not see a need to put up posters because they were helpful only if the voters did not know the candidate.

“I have not ordered any posters. What’s the point? I love this city and I really feel sick looking at all those posters everywhere. And I’ll tell you something, I’m so sick and tired of looking at my face.
Everyday I’m in the newspapers and on TV,” he said.

Comelec Cebu City north district officer lawyer Marchel Sarno said he agreed with the appeal of the mayor.

He hopes they can start with the city-wide operation to rid the streets of illegally placed campaign materials.

“It is the obligation of every concerned and responsible citizen not just to complain. They should also take action and even testify against the violators when a complaint is filed against an erring candidate,” said Sarno.