Comelec chair blows top over protesting employees

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. blew his top yesterday during a confrontation with protesting employees of the poll body, reportedly shoving and screaming at his personnel right in front of television cameras.

Raul Ragay, the employees’ leader, complained that Abalos pulled him aside while giving interviews to television stations. Others, he said, were screamed at during the 15-minute encounter in front of the Comelec head office in Intramuros, Manila.

"It was unexpected of him. I could not believe what I was seeing when he began confronting the employees," said one employee interviewed by The STAR.

Ragay estimated the number of employees who joined yesterday’s lunchbreak protest at 300.

The employees were demanding for the release of their P4,000 clothing allowance, which they said should have been distributed long ago like in other government offices.

Abalos later left the office leaving Commissioner Resurrecion Borra to talk to the employees and call for a dialogue. Commissioner Florentino Tuazon also reportedly witnessed the incident.

"When Chairman Abalos came down the stairs (going out the building), people clapped. Chairman Abalos must not be like that," said Ragay, who is also Commissioner Borra’s chief of staff. "We were clapping because we were thinking he would finally be talking to us."

When reached by The STAR, Abalos did not deny losing his temper.

"That is nothing," he said. "The problem with these employees is that they opted to go out protesting before trying to talk to me. I am like their father. Even if they are not directly against me, it would reflect on my administration. They should have given the person concerned a chance to explain."

Abalos said his reforms at the poll body are causing resentment from those who have vested interests.

"With the uniforms, definitely it will not be monetized. It is not right," he said.

But the employees said that although the money will be given as finished uniforms, their distribution is taking too long. The uniform allowance for Comelec’s 3,000 employees totals P24 million.

Comelec employees have been without office uniforms since 1996 although the uniform allowances have been faithfully given to them the past years in cash.

Regarding the shortage of office supplies, Abalos said the reason is that they are trying to save money by buying them in bulk rather by demand.

In their protest action, Comelec employees are particularly seeking the resignation of Comelec’s finance department head Eduardo Mejos, Abalos’ own finance chief when he was still Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman.

Ragay pointed out that Mejos is the chairman of the agency’s bids and awards committee and at the same time serving as the finance chief. This, he said, is an "anomalous situation."

"It seems that Mejos is the one screening, evaluating and at the same time providing the funds for the contracts. Where is the check and balance there?" Ragay asked.

Abalos said he is willing to talk to the employees as long as they ask for a dialogue. Ragay said they will submit a list of their concerns to Commissioner Borra but the lunchbreak protests will continue.