Election officers want Petalcorin transferred

CEBU, Philippines - Seven election officers of Bohol province filed a petition before the Commission on Elections en banc for the transfer of acting regional director for Central Visayas, Veronico Petalcorin, to another region.

These election officers have a pending case filed last February 3, 2010 against Petalcorin now submitted for resolution based on an order dated June 21, 2010 issued by lawyer Maria Juana Valesa, investigating officer of the Investigation and Prosecution Division, Law Department of Comelec Manila.

The complainants were identified as municipal election officers Siegfred Saniel of Panglao, Ma. Divina Gamutin of Garcia-Hernandez, Ester Escobillo of Duero, Rolan Dominic Amora of Guindulman, Gerardo Lofranco of Balilihan, Rouel Alquizalas of Dimiao and Bohol provincial election supervisor Eliseo Labaria.

Petalcorin is charged by complaints of coercion of election officials and conspiracy to bribe deputized employees of the Comelec in several municipalities in the province of Bohol, relative to May 14, 2007 national and local elections.

Allegedly, Petalcorin told his election officers to conduct “dagdag-bawas” in favor of partylist groups allied with the administration party. He reportedly promised a substantial financial consideration in exchange for the task and threatened to have them transferred to Mindanao if they did not.

The complainants, however, did not mention the name of partylist in their complaint.

They said that it took some time before they found the courage to stand up to him after they realized they were being subjected to personal attacks by respondent after their refusal to participate in that “evil scheme to thwart the result of the May 2007 elections”.

“Needless to say, the respondent is in the position where he could exercise influence, thereby putting himself at an undue advantage and relegating the complainants to an uncalled-for disadvantage during the pendency of the case,” the complainants said in their letter-request to the Comelec en banc.

But Petalcorin said the complainants were just angry with him after he corrected their misconduct sometime in 2007 when he was then the Bohol provincial election supervisor.

“Nagdumot na sila, nisulod ba na sila sa opisina?… Okay atoa mang gikurihian. Kining atoa trabaho ra man ni, simple lang hadlok sila,” said Petalcorin, who added that he has no power to transfer the complainants to Mindanao as alleged in their complaints.

Petalcorin, in an interview with The FREEMAN, said he is ready to transfer to another region if the Comelec orders him to do so.

Petalcorin said he is also suspicious about the timing and the motive of the request for his transfer and said it could be one way of blocking his appointment as acting Comelec regional director for Central Visayas.

Bohol province has one city and 47 municipalities. — Gregg M. Rubio with a report from Edwin Ian Melecio /BRP (THE FREEMAN)