Comelec: 22 of 33 Senate bets have illegal posters

(Updated 6:43 p.m.) The Commission on Elections on Wednesday said 22 out of 33 senatorial candidates have been sent notices for putting up illegal posters, according to its latest batch of data on the matter.

 

In an interview with reporters, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez  said administration senatorial bets Risa Hontiveros, Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara, and Bam Aquino were the top violators in the latest batch of notices sent to the candidates, with three notices apiece. Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Chiz Escudero, as well as Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, tied for second place, each with two notices.

• Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn
• Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile, Jr.
• Juan Miguel Zubiri
• Nancy Binay
• Sen. Koko Pimentel
• Jamby Madrigal
• Sen. Alan Cayetano
• former Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar
• Ramon Magsaysay, Jr.
• Grace Poe
• Sen. Loren Legarda
• Sen. Gringo Honasan
• Tingting Cojuangco
• Eddie Villanueva
• San Juan City Rep. JV Ejercito
• Dick Gordon

For political parties, Comelec data showed the United Nationalist Alliance ranked first for illegal posting of campaign propaganda with five notices, while the Liberal Party trailed with two notices.

• Nacionalista Party
• Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan
• Akbayan
• Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino

Meanwhile, for party-list organizations, three groups topped the list of poster violations with four notices apiece: Buhay Hayaan Yumabong (Buhay), Kabataan, and LPG Marketers Association, Inc. Katribu Indigenous Peoples Sectoral Party ranked second with three notices. The Comelec sent notices to 16 other party-list groups.

 

The total number of notices sent to senatorial bets in the Comelec’s latest batch of data is 31. Meanwhile, total notices sent out to political parties numbered 11 and 34 for party-lists.

 

“We’ve been sending [the notices] in batches kasi and of course [the candidates have] been complying in some cases, every batch. So this is a new batch,” Jimenez said.

 

“Notices were sent and received roughly Feb. 20, so we are going to check on the compliance now and hopefully, they’ve all complied and that we won’t have to proceed against them legally,” he continued.

 

Jimenez added as well that these groups and people are “ripe for compliance checking,” to be finished in a day or two. UNA: Memo issued In a phone interview with GMA News Online on Wednesday night, UNA campaign manager and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said that he has not yet been informed of the notices. But he said that he has already issued a memo to the UNA candidates and their campaign managers to follow the Comelec's rules. "Yung candidates mineet ko, sinabihan namin yung mga magkakabit ng poster," he said. He also said that the has already reminded those who were already called out by the poll body earlier. "They can deal with that naman," he said. LP to comply Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, LP campaign spokesperson, said administration candidates will respond to the Comelec's notices once they receive the documents. "We have to comply. We have to set an example. Definitely sasagutin naman ng mga kandidato namin kung ano man ang kailangan nilang sagutin," Evardone said in a phone interview. He added that the administration coalition's senatorial bets are "very mindful" of election laws. "Alam naman nila ang mga iyan. Siguro kailangan lang talaga paalalahanan 'yung supporters nila," he said. Evardone likewise expressed confidence that the issue will not affect the coalition bets' candidacies. — with reports by Kimberly Jane Tan and Andreo Calonzo/RSJ/KG/BM, GMA News