THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday ordered two senatorial candidates to remove their posters from prohibited areas or face disqualification.

Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. has ordered the Comelec’s law department to call the attention of Sen. Panfilo Lacson who is running under the United Opposition (UNO) and independent candidate Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan over their campaign posters placed in areas where election materials should not be seen like national highways.

“Within three days, they have to remove those campaign materials or this [act] will be considered as having been committed with their consent which is a violation of the Fair Elections Act and a ground for disqualification,” Abalos told reporters after emerging from a three-hour en banc session.

He noticed that posters of the two reelectionists were posted in public places in Mandaluyong City; San Juan, Metro Manila, and Santa Mesa, Manila.

Abalos earlier warned candidates to observe election rules that pertain to common poster areas.

Meanwhile, the commission en banc has accredited 44 out of 153 party-list organizations vying for the May 14 elections.

Among those that made it in the partial list of the Comelec include reelectionist party-list groups Bayan Muna, Association of Philippine Electric Cooperative (Apec), Akbayan Citizen’s Action Party (Akbayan), Citizen’s Battle Against Corruption (Cibac), Buhay Hayaan Yumabong (Buhay), Partido ng Manggagawa, Gabriela Women’s Party (Gabriela), and Migrante Sectoral Party of Overseas Filipinos and Their Families. 

President Arroyo has instructed all administration bets to take the “high road” this campaign season by wooing voters with an explanation of why they should be picked through the government’s eight-point agenda, and not through character assassination and mudslinging.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the administration’s national and local candidates are expected to center their campaign on more job creation, lower cost of living, strong peso, more investments, better education, better health care-housing-hunger mitigation, green Philippines, and a strong antiterrorism drive.

“President Arroyo’s bidding to the ruling party’s national and local candidates is clear: do away with character assassination and instead concentrate on explaining to the people how they can be part of the bandwagon of positive change . . . .  We hope that everyone campaigns in that manner,” Bunye said in a news briefing.

He said that the administration is after a “nurturing campaign, not a contest of mudslinging or muckraking.”

“We join the people on the high ground and urge them to leave the haters and destroyers behind . . .  We will shy away from mudslinging,” he said.

He said that during the campaign period, the President is counting on her bets to apprise the people on what the government has done so far to improve their lives and what the government intends to do to further improve their lot with the help of her chosen candidates.

On the decision of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao to run for South Cotabato congressman, Bunye said: “We cannot prevent anybody from wanting to serve the public. So we wish everybody trying to serve, good luck.”

Meanwhile, all the six administration congressmen from Cebu will not join the local party that was put up by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Lakas said.

Lakas  Reps. Antonio Cuenco, Clavel Martinez, Ramon Durano, Simeon Kintanar and Antonio Yapha of Cebu and House deputy speaker Raul del Mar would remain with the administration as they rebuffed Garcia’s One Cebu Party.

The six congressmen reaffirmed their loyalty to Lakas and vowed to work for the victory of the administration’s senatorial ticket in the province.

Garcia said she formed the local party after noting that her province had not been getting the kind of support that it should be getting from the administration.

Also, Lakas leaders in Bulacan have dismissed the breakaway faction that was put up and headed by outgoing Gov. Josefina de la Cruz, and told that they would stick with the administration party.

Lakas Reps. Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado, Pedro Pancho, Lorna Silverio and Reylina Nicolas and Eduardo Roquero of Bulacan said that they have no plans of joining de la Cruz.

THE National Police assured the United Nations team looking into political killings in the country of its full cooperation.

AT least 13 election-related violent incidents have happened since the start of the election season on January 15.

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday ordered two senatorial candidates to remove their posters from prohibited areas or face disqualification.

‘Do not vote for solons who are absent in special session’

SPEAKER José de Venecia Jr. on Tuesday asked the electorate to reject the candidacies in the coming elections of legislators who fail to attend the two-day special session that was called by President Arroyo.