Bacolod Commission on Elections Registrar Mavil Majarucon yesterday said she will report to the COMELEC head office in Manila the continued posting of the campaign materials of senatorial candidate Panfilo "Ping" Lacson outside common poster areas.

She said the action to be taken will be up to the COMELEC head office.

On Monday 10 persons were arrested by the police for allegedly posting Lacson's campaign materials on several establishments and structures along Araneta Street, Bacolod City.

The Bacolod City Mobile Group arrested Ernesto Alquisa, 38; Marlon Vargas, 37; Elmer Panaguiton, 25; Penguin Petilla, 29; Joan Rojo, 18; Vicent Frias, 25; Nerio Barilla, 34; Joey Suarez, 34; Mike Baylon, 69, and a 17-year-old boy, police reports said.

Charges for violation of the Omnibus Election Code and the Fair Election Act were filed against the 10 before the Bacolod City Prosecutors Office on Wednesday, but they have been released on bail, Majarucon said.

Majorucon said designated common poster areas in Bacolod City are the Bacolod Public Plaza, Capitol Lagoon, in front of Pepsi along Lacson Street, a vacant lot in front of Ace Marketing along Araneta Street, the area in front of Vendors Plaza (Reclamation Area);

In front of Star Mart Caltex along the Circumferential Road (Lopue's East Area), a vacant lot along the Escalante Terminal at Lopez Jaena Road in front of Tindalo Avenue, the Mansilingan Rotunda, Puno Banago going to Banago Port and the nursery lot in front of Old Capitol Building along Gatuslao Street, Majarucon said. But she said that under Comelec Resolution 7767, parties can put up common poster areas in every barangay with 5,000 registered voters upon application and approval.

Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos on Wednesday warned policemen and barangay officials to prevent the illegal posting of campaign materials outside the COMELEC-identified common poster areas or face penalties.

Abalos told the DAILY STAR that the police and barangay officials who allow illegal postering in their areas will be charged administratively for dereliction of duty.

Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon and Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, yesterday joined the COMELEC's call for candidates and supporters to follow the election rule on placing campaign materials only in common poster areas.

"They are dirtying private property, I think it is about time discipline is imposed because we have to follow the law," Marañon said.

The cost of campaign materials would be cheaper for all candidates if they only followed the rules, he added.

It is the responsibility of candidates to give proper instructions to their supporters on where to post their campaign materials, he said, and show that they can abide by the law.

The governor also said those hired to post the campaign materials should abide by the law because it is they, and not those who hire them, who will end up in jail.*CPG

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