LEGAZPI CITY - Reelectionist Albay Gov. Fernando Gonzalez disclosed on Monday there had been “strong indications” he was being restricted by an armed rebel group from campaigning in most parts of the province.

        He said posters were removed en masse and his campaign staff were restricted from moving in almost all villages, though there was no direct confrontation or threats by the group against him.

        Gonzalez said his right to campaign was reportedly curtailed in the towns of Manito, Daraga, Camalig Guinobatan, Jovellar, Oas, Pioduran, in Legazpi City and even in his home turf in Ligao City, where he once served as mayor.

        The governor said the group behind this could “perhaps be the New People’s Army” as it was the only one known to be collecting permit-to-campaign fees.

        “I’ve not paid any amount to any armed group for a permit to campaign. Whichever group is behind this, I wouldn’t know its reason for not allowing me to campaign,” Gonzalez told the Inquirer.

        Gonzalez dismissed the possibility that the removal of his posters where done by political rivals because the great number of posters removed indicated it was premeditated.

        He added armed groups prohibited his staff from campaigning even before they could post his campaign posters.

        He added that he is now appealing to the people not to allow anyone get in the way of their choices but to preserve democracy in an election.

        Gonzalez is seeking a second term. His opponents in the gubernatorial race here are former Presidential Chief of Staff Joey Salceda and Steve Bichara.

        He explained what he calls 50 percent democratic and 50 percent oppression. Under 50 percent democratic process, the favored candidate or candidates can enter a controlled area, can campaign and post campaign materials and be voted upon.

        On the other hand, their political enemies can’t enter the area, and will not be allowed to campaign or post propaganda materials or be voted upon by the voters in the area, he said.

        Gonzalez lamented that candidates, in their desire to win at all cost, have forged an alliance with suspected communist terrorists.

        “My posters have been removed. This means that they don’t support me. That’s okay but certainly it’s undemocratic,” the governor said.

        He also bewailed the fact that, unlike his rival who has so many posters, he lacks posters because of low budget. Besides, he said, that he is following the ruling of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) regarding campaign expenses.

        “When the posting is orchestrated by the candidate himself or by his group, this is already a violation of the Omnibus Election Code,” Gonzalez said.

        The Comelec, he stressed, should restrain rich candidates from unlimited campaign spending.

        “If a candidate is not allowed to campaign in the upland barangays, the voters from the urban centers should counter this move by solidly voting for the underdog candidate,” he said.