Ferrer nihulga nga mokiha ni de Lima

Si Commission on Elections Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer nagkanayong nga siya nagplano sa pagpasaka og kaso nga may kalabot sa kalapasan sa Anti-Graft law batok ni Commission on Human Rights Chair Leila de Lima tungod sa pagamit sa iyang posisyon aron pagpanghadlok sa ubang tao.

Kinit tungod sa imbestigasyon sa CHR tungod sa alegasyon sa dili ensaktong tratamentong batok sa duha ka whistleblowers sa niaging semana.

Matod pa ni Commissioner Ferrer, “If you use your office, your official function, to harrass persons, that’s a violation of the anti-graft law.”

Ang Comelec nidapit sa niaging semana ka Arwin Serrano usa ka miyembro sa Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting ug Melchor Magdamo, kanhi election lawyer kinsa nag expose sa alegasyon sa irregularidad sa planong pagpamalit ug P700 milyones nga kantidad ug ballot secrecy folders gikan sa QTC Paper Supply nga nag kantidad ug P380 ang matag buok. Panahon sa tigum, usa ka sininggitay tali ang nahitabo ni Serrano ug ni Ferrer.

Matud pa, si Ferrer nitudlo ngadto kang Serrano ug nitawag niining bakakon. Si Ferrer usab nibawos pag alegar nga matod pa siya gipatiran sa lingkoranan nga iyang gipanghimaka. Siya ang nag ingon nga iyang plano nga mopasaka ug libel cases batok ni Serrano ug posibleng apil niini si de Lima.

Iyang gihagit si de Lima nga mopasakag kaso batok kaniya.

Comelec asks DOJ, PNP help in election related probes

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to help in investigating several election-related incidents.

According to Justice Undersecretary Alberto Agra in reports, the DOJ has received a letter from Comelec Chairman Jose Melo asking them to help investigate certain incidents that happened in the past two weeks.

Agra said among those to be investigated are the compact flash cards presented by Quezon City Rep. Annie Suzano, the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines allegedly kept in Antipolo, Rizal, and Cagayan de Oro and the reported taped conversation of Comelec commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer.

“The DOJ will take the lead in so far as the investigation pertaining to Cong. Suzano and the ‘Hello Nico’ tape but PNP will proceed with their investigation of the PCOS machine incidents,” he added.

The National Bureau of Investigation will also be helping the DOJ in verifying the authenticity of the “Hello Nico” tape, which reportedly featured a telephone conversation between Ferrer and Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno about rigging the polls.

The DOJ and PNP are looking to finish the initial investigation for all the incidents by June 15.

Special polls in 3 provinces moved to June 3

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has rescheduled to June 3 the conduct of special polls in seven municipalities of Lanao del Sur, two municipalities of Basilan, and in one municipality of Sarangani where there was a failure of elections.

In a five-page resolution, the Comelec said that it has rescheduled the elections in Lumba Bayabao, Lumbaca Unayan, Marogong, Masiu, Sultan Domalondong, Tubaran, and Bayang towns in Lanao del Sur; barangays Danapah, Kailih, Bato-Bato, Apil-Apil, Bucalao, Sangkahan, Cambug, and Look Bisaya in Al Barka and barangays Upper and Lower Mahaybahay in Maluso, Basilan; and barangay Poblacion in Gian, Sarangani.

The special polls were initially scheduled on Friday but the poll body said that it needs more time to prepare the logistical, manpower, and security requirements for the conduct of the elections.

Comelec Resolution 8921 says that no voting was conducted in the seven municipalities in Lanao del Sur because the teachers who were supposed to serve as Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) there did not show up on election day. It likewise said that some BEIs in Basilan were not able to perform their functions on May 10.

The Omnibus Election Code gives the poll body 30 days to reschedule polls once the reasons for failure of elections in these areas disappear. (PIA-Bohol)

QC solon faces charges For CF Card possession

FOR the unauthorized possession of a Compact Flash (CF) card, a Quezon city lawmaker may be in hot water.

Commission on Elections (COMELEC) through spokesperson James Jimenez said the poll boady is contemplating on filing charges to Quezon City Representative Annie Rosa Susano for her possession of CF cards, which were supposed to be used in the last May 10 polls.

Representative Susano alleged that the cards were used to rig the Quezon City mayoralty poll results, which made her lose to actor and incumbent vice mayor Herbert Bautista.

Asked by Smartmatic Asia president Cesar Flores where she got the CF Cards, Susano retorted back that it was not her problem but Smartmatic’s.

The Comelec has issued the statement since CF cards were supposed to be kept by authorized persons only.

The matter of the CF cards popped up after the house of representatives conducted hearings in the alleged poll fraud. (PIA-Bohol)

Comelec to evaluate Smartmatic compliance

COMPLIANCE and effects of non-compliance of Smartmatic-Total Information Management (TIM) Corp. in the poll automation contract will be evaluated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said that it is important to include in the post-election evaluation the compliance and non-compliance of Smartmatic-TIM with the contract so that they will know if they were able to meet all the delivery schedules.

Jimenez said they will check if Smartmatic were able to meet the timetables that they agreed on. This will include the performance of the subsidiary contracts like ballot delivery, ballot box production, ballot box delivery and among others. (PIA-Bohol)