By Rjay Zuriaga Castor and Juliane Judilla
The Makabayan coalition in Panay has condemned the alleged tampering of its party-list campaign posters by Team Uswag, the slate of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, in a designated poster area at La Paz Plaza.
In a formal complaint filed with the Commission on Elections Region 6 (COMELEC-6), the group cited that their posters for Bayan Muna, Gabriela and ACT Teachers—displayed since February 18—were completely covered by campaign materials belonging to Team Uswag.
Makabayan Panay emphasized that despite clearing operations conducted by the COMELEC, they had received no notice that their posters were in violation of any regulations.
They noted that previous clearing actions by COMELEC included the removal of fraudulent “Bayad Muna” posters targeting Bayan Muna on February 24, and Kabataan Partylist materials lacking a “paid for by” detail on February 27.
The coalition cited Section 25 of COMELEC Resolution No. 11086 under the Fair Election Act (RA 9006), which prohibits the removal, defacement, tampering or obstruction of lawful election propaganda during the campaign period.
In their complaint, Makabayan stated: “We highly value the efforts of our volunteers and the resources utilized in our campaign. As such, we always ensure compliance with campaign guidelines while respecting the rights of others.”
They added: “We look forward to your prompt action on this matter and are prepared to cooperate in any inquiry or proceeding that may arise. Should our posters be deemed outside the designated area, we are more than willing to relocate them accordingly.”
The incident was first reported by election watchdog Kontra Daya Panay on April 5, prompting Makabayan to escalate the matter to COMELEC Regional Election Director Atty. Dennis Ausan.
As of writing, Daily Guardian has reached out to COMELEC-6 and its Iloilo City office but has yet to receive a response.
In response to the allegations, Joy Fantilaga, spokesperson for Mayor Treñas, said the area in question was designated by COMELEC for the National Unity Party, an affiliate of Team Uswag.
“We encourage other political parties and organizations to refer to official COMELEC postings or coordinate directly with the agency to avoid misunderstandings, especially during this critical election period,” she said.
Makabayan reiterated its call for a swift investigation and appropriate action from COMELEC, stressing the need for fairness and accountability as the campaign period intensifies in Iloilo City.
