Comelec investigates election officers for alleged poll fraud

The Commission on Election (Comelec) will focus on the "administrative liability" of its officials following allegations that they were a party to fraud committed the May 2004 elections.

Comelec Commissioner Mehol Sadain said the poll body would complete a review of the claims that some election officials were involved in electoral fraud.

Sadain stressed Comelec has to initiate its own investigation and determine the administrative liability of some of the officials following the testimony of Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani before the Senate.

Gudani, the former Marine Brigade commander in Lanao del Sur and "Task Force Ranao" chairman, told the Senate inquiry last Wednesday that he witnessed how cheating during the elections was carried out in the province to ensure the victory of President Arroyo.

Gudani’s statement focused anew on the credibility of the Comelec following the controversy generated by the wiretap conversations between President Arroyo and an election official widely believed to be former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.

"I will insist on looking into the administrative liability of these people like what we did in Basilan-ARMM (Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao) election," he said.

Gudani had claimed Garcillano held "indirect control" over the conduct of the election in Mindanao last year.

The general said Garcillano even worked for his transfer to Metro Manila during the vote count.

But Sadain noted Garcillano might have acted on his own in ordering the transfer of Gudani.

"That’s a possibility," Sadain stressed. "Because there was no request sent to the Comelec regarding the transfer of Gen. Gudani or any general for that matter. So since there was no request, there was nothing to act on by the Commission en banc."

In the case of Gudani’s unauthorized transfer, the general should have protested his reassignment before the Comelec, Sadain said.

"May mga tina-transfer dyan, (There are some being transferred, mostly) civil servants, who filed election offense (protests) against those responsible for their transfer without getting authority from the Comelec. That would be the proper recourse" for Gudani, he added. — Sheila Crisostomo