Comelec-Cebu City ready for election

The Comelec-Cebu City yesterday announced that it is ready for the conduct of the May 14 election.

"We have all the election paraphernalias ready for distribution that is scheduled to start a day before the election," said district election officer Marchel Sarno during the last episode of the Comelec hour yesterday.

Around 40 vehicles will be used to distribute election materials such as books of voters, voters registrations for both the north and south districts, tally boards, and indelible inks, among others.

Sarno said he is optimistic of a peaceful election. "We are prepared in the Comelec, I just hope voters are ready as well on who to vote."

Sarno said that a total of about 300 policemen will be deployed to all voting precincts in the city, which means that at least two policemen would be detailed in each precinct to secure a peaceful, honest and credible election.

The canvassing venue was already decided to be held at Ecotech in Sudlon, Lahug, said Sarno, adding that they are now finalizing the memorandum of agreement on the matter.

"Accredited media can cover the canvassing live provided that they place televisions inside to erase all doubts from the public," Sarno said.

He said the canvassing area would be opened to media coverage at any time during the canvassing period but he proposed that media outfits follow a schedule instead of getting in at the same time and disrupt the proceedings.

The volunteers of C-CIMPEL (Cebu Citizens'' Involvement in Maturation and People''s Empowerment for Liberation) would be granted full access to records during the canvassing.

"It is our duty to implement election rules but these people volunteer without pay, unlike us in the Comelec. They can defend us in case the public will accuse us of fraud," said Sarno.

The Visayan Electric Company, for its part, assured the public of no power interruption on Monday and, in case of unforseen problems, there are generators on standby. Sarno advised also the members of the Board of Election Inspectors to bring candles and flashlights with them.

On Election Day, the board would submit election returns directly to the Comelec, which in turn would handle the delivery of these documents to the canvassing area.

Sarno said that election volunteers should not worry also because their honoraria are ready, the first half of which will be given before the election and the second half after the election.

Senior citizens, during the voting, will also be provided with expresslanes upon the discretion of the BEI. "As much as possible we will place them in precincts located at the ground floor." Sarno added.

In threats to sabotage the peaceful conduct of the election, Philippine Army Colonel Jefferson Omandam said there are enough troops ready for deployment to any place in the province at any time.

He said threats are always there, whether there is election or none, but "the public can be assured that they have a solid, apolitical and non-partisan armed forces. We have exercised also our right to suffrage individually."

Omandam said that their objective is to make the election as peaceful as possible but the public can always make their job easier. "Supporters of candidates must not fight with each other," he said. - Mary Gold Sagarino and Cristina Roso, UP Cebu Masscom interns/RAE