Comelec chief resigns

At about the same time a new president was sworn into office yesterday, another top female government official tendered her courtesy resignation.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairwoman Harriet Demetriou submitted her resignation, which was effective immediately, to the office of newly sworn President Arroyo.

"I am doing this to pave the way for a thorough reorganization of the Comelec to ensure that the forthcoming May 2001 elections will not only be peaceful, orderly and honest, but also credible which is vital to the survival of this nation as a democratic country," Demetriou said.

The Comelec chief, whose term is supposed to end on Feb. 2, 2001, was among the few government officials who stuck with ousted President Joseph Estrada until his last day in office.

Before being appointed head of the poll body, Demetriou served shortly as presidential legal adviser in the Estrada administration. She was a prominent regional trial court judge, gaining fame for convicting Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez of rape and murder.

Audit sought on poll modernization

Before submitting her resignation, Demetriou asked the Commission on Audit (COA) yesterday to conduct a special audit on the financial status of the Comelec on the national precinct mapping and modernization projects, in particular the purchase of motor vehicles.

The Comelec chief issued a memorandum to lawyer Antonio Magsanay, the poll body’s resident auditor, to fully apprise her successor on the status of the projects.

Magsanay was asked to conduct a special audit within 15 days.

Demetriou also ordered commissioner Luzviminda Tancangco to turn over all necessary documents and equipment of the modernization project to commissioner Mehol Sadain, whom the poll chief designated as new commissioner-in-charge of the said project.

She sent letters to the Senate and the House of Representatives to request the cancellation of an earlier request for an additional P1 billion for the Comelec modernization program.

"I would like to request that the P1 billion additional budget for the Voters Registration and Identification System (VRIS) be deleted pending the resolution of the issues that I raised on the legality of the draft contract," Demetriou said in letters to Senate and House committees, dated Jan. 20, 2001.

The VRIS project of the Comelec has been put on hold since Demetriou raised questions in connection with the project. She had refused to sign the contract between Comelec and the winning bidder.

She raised questions over the legality of the project after it was awarded to Photokina without following the proper bidding process.

One of Estrada’s mistresses, Guia Gomez, allegedly had a hand in the awarding of the project to Photokina.

The firm, along with Tancangco, has denied the allegations.