No common poster areas yet in Caraga - officials

BUTUAN City - The Commission on Elections Caraga Regional Office here admitted Thursday that it has no official designated posting areas for campaign materials such as streamers, posters and stickers in the region, including this city. Lawyer Cirilo Nala Jr, acting Comelec regional director, told GMANews.TV that his office has yet to conduct a special meeting with city and municipal election officers as well as supervising poll officials to assess, validate and update the situation of the common poster areas designated in the May 2004 elections. “Definitely there will be changes in designating official posting areas as provided by a Comelec circular for that purpose and we still have to meet to validate the 2004 designated posting areas," Nala said. And as the problem remain unsolved, different campaigners and hired workers of senatorial bets and party list groups have started to post campaign materials just about anywhere in this city. City election officer Abelardo Saco said officials may just consider the previous common poser areas designated in May 2004 for this year’s mid-term polls. Lawyer Rolando Edayan, Agusan del Norte Comelec officer, admitted that his office has not received any memorandum from the Comelec head office in Manila regarding the issue on common poster areas. In the May 2004 elections, the Comelec’s Oplan Baklas yielded negative results as supporters of candidates indiscriminately posted their campaign materials on top of trees, houses, within surroundings of churches and along the national highways and provincial roads. Ironically, no sanctions were meted against those responsible for the violation. On February 13, no less than Commissioner Rene Sarmiento and National Police chief Director General Oscar Calderon warned candidates against violating the common poster areas regulation. - Alvin Guanzon, GMANews.TV