COMELEC warns bets,
sets Thursday deadline
FOR REMOVAL OF
ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN MATERIALS
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Mavil Majarucon, Bacolod City election officer, is warning supporters of senatorial candidates and partylist groups to remove campaign materials illegally posted outside the COMELEC designated common poster areas in the city before Thursday.

If they fail to remove the campaign materials by Thursday then the COMELEC, along with members of the Bacolod police and fire department, will remove them, she said.

Majarucon also said that, after Thursday, she will also submit a list to the COMELEC head office of the violating candidates who can be recommended for disqualification from running in the May polls.

RMG to get more
cops for elections
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

The 6th Regional Mobile Group will get 380 new policemen to beef up its forces as well as city and town police stations in Negros Occidental, during the May 14 elections.

Senior Supt. Pedro Merced, 6th RMG director, yesterday said 250 of the 380 new policemen are expected to finish their on-the-job-training in various police stations, this month.

Merced said 130 others, excluding the newly-commissioned police officers, are expected to start their Internal Security Operations training tomorrow, under the supervision of the elite Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police.

Guv backs Church
bid for clean polls
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday said he endorses the call of Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra for volunteers to help the Church ensure clean and honest elections in May.

The church will get involved in three phases -- through voters education wherein guidelines will be given on how to choose candidates, poll watching, and through a quick count, Fr. Aniceto Buenafe, Diocese of Bacolod Social Action Director, said. Marañon said the volunteers should keep their watch not just during the counting but until the counting of votes are completed.

Navarra yesterday issued a 12-point directive in Ilonggo outlining the Diocese of Bacolod's directive on the need for clean and honest elections to be distributed to the clergy.