Cavite 4th district Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, Jr. got the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to spill the beans, proving the existence of a “loophole” in the rules on campaign poster sizes as prescribed by the poll body.

“Ang nangyayari, yung isang plywood, nilalagyan ng dalawampung two by three (What happens is that on a piece of plywood, the camps of candidates place 20 two by three posters) involving the same candidate, ok lang ba ‘yon (is that ok)?” Barzaga asked a resource person from Comelec during the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms' hearing on Wednesday, March 9.

Comelec Resolution No. 10730 spelled out the size requirements to campaign tarpaulins and posters.

“Cloth, paper or cardboard posters, whether framed or posted, with an area not exceeding two (2) feet by three (3) feet, except that, at the site and on the occasion of a public meeting or rally, or in announcing the holding of said meeting or rally,” the resolution said.

“Ok lang po yan, sir... as long as yung bawat isa is two by three (It’s ok sir as long as each one is two by three),” confirmed National Comelec Campaign Committee (NCCC) Director Elaiza David.

“Baka ma-disqualified ako eh, ma-dale ako ng technicality. Mapapahiya ako sa ating kababayan (I might get disqualified, I’ll get caught by a technicality. I’ll be embarassed),” he added.

Campaign materials exceeding the size regulation are considered “prohibited propaganda materials” and are subject to removal and confiscation by representatives of Comelec.

Comelec’s recent “Oplan Baklas,” which saw removal of unlawful and “prohibited propaganda”, sparked controversy following several reports of the poll body's removal of privately-owned campaign materials posted on private properties without the authority of a search warrant. It has been criticized as unconstitutional.