3 Comelec executives quizzed on barangay poll 'negligence'

MANILA, Philippines - Three officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) are among those being investigated for possible negligence in last year’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.

The three officials, according to a Comelec insider, have already been asked to explain why the synchronized elections in some parts of the country messed up.

The three officials were identified as Bartolome Sinocruz Jr., who was the acting Comelec executive director during the barangay elections; law department chief Ferdinand Rafanan, who was the head of the Bids and Awards Committee then; and Rey Doma, chairman of the packing and shipping committee.

“They were asked to explain what happened. The panel had observed some negligence,” the source said.

The Comelec created a fact-finding panel after the synchronized elections in some areas were postponed due to the late delivery of election returns, canvassing forms and other supplies.

There were allegations that some Comelec personnel intentionally messed up the preparations so that the supplies would not be included in the shipment, thus enabling them to do the delivery themselves. This meant that they were able to draw some P50,000 in cash advances.

But the panel, headed by Comelec Commissioner Armando Velasco, ruled out sabotage and instead observed negligence in the preparations.

In an earlier interview, Velasco said the short time given to the poll body to prepare for the barangay polls could be blamed for the delays.

Velasco said that in previous barangay and SK elections, the Comelec had six months to prepare. But in last year’s polls, the agency had only two days from the completion of the printing of poll materials to the shipment.

The Comelec was able to go full blast in the preparations only two months before the Oct. 25 barangay polls due to various calls from some sectors to postpone the electoral exercise.

The panel also observed a lack of system in the preparations.

Velasco said there were seven aspects in the preparations – allocation and specification, notice to proceed, bidding, printing, verification, packing and shipping – and all of these suffered delays.