BEIs have ‘supreme power’ in poll centers

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be holding a briefing with the  Board of Election Inspectors a day before the elections to make them fully aware of their power and responsibilities inside the polling center.

Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde of Comelec Provincial Office admitted that some BEIs are not aware of how crucial their functions are within the polling places.

Gujilde said there is a need to emphasize more to their election partners that they have the ‘supreme power’ inside the polling center on election day.

“The BEIs have not realized that their authority inside the polling place is supreme. Anything that the BEI decides inside the polling place is final and executory. There is no motion for reconsideration, there is no time to appeal,” said Gujilde.

He added some BEIs do not know that they have the power to stop or prevent untoward incidents from happening inside the polling area.

The BEI can request those not authorized to be inside the polling precinct to leave to protect them from being harassed or intimidated.

“They do not know what to do when in fact, the vast powers are within their custody and disposal on election day,” Gujilde said.

Gujilde said those allowed to be in the polling precinct are BEIs, their support staff, a representative from the Comelec, technical people summoned by the BEI, voters, watchers, and other persons specifically authorized by Comelec through an accreditation, like the media.

Party lawyers cannot enter a polling place unless they are voters or watchers.

The BEI can politely ask the lawyer to leave but if one insists and the refusal causes interruption inside the voting center, the BEI can call the police or the military to escort or bodily remove the lawyer or any unauthorized person out of the polling precinct.

Gujilde is also appealing to media practitioners with Comelec accreditation to abide by the rules inside the polling center.

Gujilde said that members of the media are not allowed to interview BEIs, voters and watchers inside the polling place.

This is to prevent the disruption of a peaceful voting process as well as to help protect the sanctity of the ballots.

But he revealed that Comelec has accredited some foreign observers to go inside the polling precincts and they are allowed to interview the BEIs as long as it does not hamper any of their responsibilities.

Special BEIs or those tasked to transport ballots from jail facilities are also allowed inside the polling precinct.

Special BEIs from jail facilities in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu will be bring ballots from the precinct to the jail facility so the inmates can vote.

Then, the special BEIs will bring back the ballots to the polling precinct where the detained voter is registered.

Gujilde said that the special BEI will feed the ballots from the ballot secrecy folder to the PCOS machine.  (FREEMAN)