MANILA, Philippines - Commission on Elections (Comelec) field officials will be reshuffled in preparation for the May 9 polls.
Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista has directed regional election directors to assume their new posts before Feb. 9.
“For the upcoming May 9 elections, a temporary reshuffle of the assignments of all Comelec field officials will be implemented,” he said.
Bautista said the reshuffle is meant to take away any perception of partiality on the part of poll officials.
“The reshuffle is being undertaken in line with our primary objective of achieving credible elections,” he said.
Bautista said National Capital Region director Jubil Surmieda will be transferred to the Bicol region to replace Romeo Fortes.
Central Luzon director Temie Lambino will take Surmieda’s position, while Fortes is taking over Calabarzon region in place of Juanito Icaro, who shall be replacing Lambino.
Other new assignments are regional directors Julius Torres from Cordillera Administrative Region to Ilocos region, Noli Pipo Ilocos to Cagayan Valley, Ederlino Tablas Cagayan Valley to CAR, Dennis Ausan Western Visayas to Eastern Visayas, Rafael Olano Central Visayas to Western Visayas, Jose Nick Mendros Eastern Visayas to Central Visayas, Wilfred Jay Balisado Zamboanga peninsula to Northern Mindanao, Renato Magbutay Northern Mindanao to Caraga region, Remlane Tambuang Davao region to Zamboanga, Michael Abas Socsksargen to Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Francisco Pobe Caraga to Socsksargen, and Ray Sumalipao ARMM to Davao.
Director Jerbee Antony Cortez will serve as new head of Mimaropa region.
Bautista said the new assignments shall be effective from Feb. 9 until June 8 unless the Comelec revokes them.
Regional directors will assume their new assignments not later than Feb. 9, he added.
They must recommend the temporary assignments of the provincial election supervisors and election officers within their regions.
Bautista said he would issue a separate memorandum for the temporary assignments of the PES and EOs.
All Comelec field officials are required to submit a certification of assumption of duty to their temporary assignments.