ILOILO CITY - Militant party-list groups have filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections for the destruction of their campaign materials posted in designated areas in Iloilo City.

In a letter submitted to Elizabeth Doronilla, election officer of the province and city of Iloilo, the party-list group Bayan Muna said their posters have been "sabotaged" in city public plazas in the districts of Jaro, La Paz, and City Proper.

Bayan Muna-Iloilo spokesperson Winefredo Doblizo said their posters were destroyed or removed simultaneously between 1:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. on March 19 during a blackout that affected the entire city.

Aside from Bayan Muna, the posters of Anakpawis, Gabriela Women's Party and Kabataan Party were also removed or destroyed.

"This was obviously a coordinated and planned destruction of our posters," said Doblizo.

In the Jaro public plaza, only the bamboo poles used as frame for the poster of the four party-list groups were left. The frame was left lying at the sidewalk, the groups said in their complaint.

This also happened in the designated poster area at the Plaza Libertad in the City Proper District and in the public plaza of La Paz District. In Molo District, four posters of Bayan Muna at the lowest part of the frame were missing.

"We are reporting these incidents against our party-lists (groups) as we have adhered to Comelec rules and regulations," Doblizo said in their complaint.

Doblizo pointed out that the destruction of their campaign materials happened even at the public plazas were 30 to 50 meters from police stations.

He said the removal and destruction of these materials and the attack on a house used to reproduce their campaign materials also on March 19 are acts of political repression done "to harass, intimidate and scare our people to silence."

Doblizo said they hope the Comelec would act on the incidents and ensure that their campaign materials are protected. He said they expect the attempts to "sabotage" their campaign to increase especially after recent surveys showed the militant party-list groups getting the highest voter approval rates which would ensure that they get the maximum three seats in Congress for every party-list group.*NPB

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