Comelec to continue Oplan Baklas in public spaces — Jimenez

Despite the Supreme Court’s issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) "Oplan Baklas," the poll body said Thursday they will proceed in taking down campaign posters that are oversized or posted in restricted areas in public spaces.

In a radio interview, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said they will continue taking down illegal campaign paraphernalia in areas only within their authority, and no longer in private properties.

“Do’n sa mga areas na ine-enjoin, siyempre hindi tayo magtutuloy doon. Pero hindi naman in-enjoin lahat eh. So ‘yung pagbabaklas doon na malinaw na talagang pasok sa authority ng Comelec, ‘yung pagbabaklas sa mga public spaces, kailangan magtuloy ‘yan,” he said.

[We will halt operations in the areas being enjoined in the petition. Not all areas are enjoined. The taking down of oversized posters in areas that are clearly within the authority of the Comelec, which are the public spaces, must continue.]

“Pero doon sa areas na in-enjoin, ‘yung pagbabaklas sa private spaces, ‘yun ang tigil muna [we will stop the operations in those areas that are enjoined, which are the private spaces],” he added.

The high court issued the TRO on Tuesday, following the petition of the supporters of presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo to stop Comelec from taking down oversized campaign posters in private properties as it was a violation of the constitutional right to free expression, among others.

“The petitioners sought the  issuance of a TRO, while the resolution of the petition is  pending, prohibiting the Respondents from implementing  Section 21 (o), Section 24, and Section 26 of the COMELEC  Resolution No. 10730 with respect to the poll body’s order to  dismantle, remove, destroy, deface, and/or confiscate all  election materials that are privately owned and privately funded  solely by volunteers and private citizens and posted and/or  installed within their private properties,” the SC said in its resolution.

“Siyempre, gagalangin natin ‘yung TRO na ibinigay ng Korte Suprema pero haharapin din natin ‘yung reklamo laban sa Comelec [of course, we will respect the TRO issued by the Supreme Court but we will also deal with the complaint against us],” Jimenez said.

Last February 16, the Comelec and other authorities started taking down election campaign posters that were either oversized or posted in restricted areas.

The petitioners, however, rebuked the poll body after it removed supposed illegal campaign posters even in privately-owned properties.

They argued that Comelec Resolution 10730 only covers candidates and political parties, and not private individuals. — RSJ, GMA News