Comelec urged to take down posters bearing 'Daang Matuwid' motto

A poll watchdog asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday to order the removal of billboards and other paraphernalia bearing the “Daang Matuwid" motto, saying these are considered illegal campaign materials of Liberal Party bets Manuel "Mar" Roxas II and Leni Robredo.

Roxas and Robredo share the common nickname of “Daang Matuwid," the slogan of the Aquino administration, in the official ballot for the May 9 elections but Kontra Daya claims these nicknames are illegal.

“The Aquino administration has purposely allowed them to use the nickname to give Roxas and Robredo the added but unfair and illegal advantage of the use of public funds, and the national network of the Aquino administration, in their campaign. It is also an attempt to deliberately mislead and misinform the voters,” Kontra Daya said in its letter to the Comelec en banc.

Kontra Daya said the candidates' use of "Daang Matuwid" as their nicknames essentially turns government-produced promotional materials with the "Daang Matuwid" slogan into political ads or election propaganda.

"...With Roxas and Robredo using the slogan 'Daang Matuwid' as nickname, it has become clear...that all issuances of the Aquino administration, from posters and billboards announcing government projects to television advertisements to issued documents containing 'Daang Matuwid' paid for or otherwise produced using public funds and resources, have become 'political advertisement or election propaganda,'" Kontra Daya said.

However, in a text message to GMA News Online, Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez, spokesman of Team Daang Matuwid, said it was the Comelec's decision to allow Roxas and Robredo to adopt the nickname.

"It was the Comelec's decision to allow it. We will abide by the Comelec's process. If groups and individuals that are affiliated with one of our rival candidates insist on using this issue to attempt to score political points, that it is their choice," Gutierrez said.

The Comelec has yet to comment on the complaint but poll body spokesman James Jimenez earlier said the phrase is considered a nickname.

Jimenez said it is the right of the candidates to specify how their names would appear on the ballot. "Allowed 'yun. In fact, hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na naganap ito. Ngayon mismong same election, maraming example na ganyan," he said.

However, Kontra Daya said the nickname violates Rule II Sections 4, 5 and 7 of the Comelec Resolution No. 9984 regarding a candidate's name on the official ballot. “Daang Matuwid is not these candidates’ nicknames or the names they are generally or popularly known,” the group said.

In Robredo's case, the nickname exceeded the 30-character limitation, which includes spaces and “( )”, as specified by Section 7, according to the letter. The poll watchdog assailed the Comelec for failing to correct these alleged misrepresentations and violations of the rules.

“Allowing the inclusion in the ballot of 'Daang Matuwid' as the candidates nickname, and the continuing use of the same slogan for government projects, is not just a violation of the law and basic tenets of fair election practices as enshrined in the Fair Election Act, but is also an endorsement of election fraud. It is an endorsement of the use of public funds for partisan political activity,” the group said. — VVP, GMA News