Manila, April 2 -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Pangasinan has taken down 22,353 non-compliant election campaign materials during Oplan Baklas operation.

As of March 28, the Comelec has removed a total of 9,676 campaign materials from local candidates, 7,431 from party-list groups, and senatorial candidates 5,246.

In a phone interview on Wednesday, Comelec Pangasinan supervisor Ericson Oganiza stated that, aside from two nationwide Oplan Baklas operations, local Comelec offices in the province may independently dismantle illegal campaign materials at any time, as the official campaign period for local candidates has begun.

During the operation, Comelec, in coordination with partner agencies, removes campaign materials poste...