‘Poll bets should watch each other on fraud’

Candidates can monitor one another and file disqualification cases with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against anyone who may be found to have violated the law.

Ferdinand Rafanan, Comelec National Capital Region director, told The STAR yesterday a candidate can have his opponent disqualified if he has enough evidence that the other party committed election offenses like vote-buying and bribery.

"On the part of the Comelec, we’ll receive the complaints and petitions and make the recommendation to the Commission en banc," he said.

Rafanan said candidates who have violated the law can still be disqualified as the poll body has enough time to receive and act on complaints and petitions.

"The candidates themselves should monitor each other on election offenses," he said.

Rafanan also called on registered voters to check their names in the final list of voters at the election registrar’s office and get the number of the precinct where they are registered to cast their votes.

"Checking the voters’ list and getting the precinct number early will prevent confusion on election day," he said.

The final list of voters is posted at the election registrar’s office, he added.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Luzviminda Tancangco told The STAR yesterday only the Commission en banc can remove her as chairman of the printing committee.

"Whether I’m resigning or not is very difficult to say because only the en banc can decide on this," she said.

Tancangco said she would not cling to her position of printing committee chairman if the Commission en banc decides to replace her with another commissioner.

"I’ll not stay as chairman of the committee if the en banc wants me to relinquish my position because I’ve no interest in the chairmanship of the committee," she said.

However, Tancangco said she would not give in to any pressure to relinquish her post despite the alleged anomalies in the printing of official ballots and election returns involving the printing committee.

The Commission is now divided between Estrada and Arroyo appointees. Commissioners Ralph Lantion, Mehol Sadain, Rufino Javier, and Tancangco, who are Estrada appointees, have not attended en banc meetings since Chairman Alfredo Benipayo started hurling accusations against Tancangco.

Tancangco and other Estrada appointees have questioned Benipayo’s order designating a representative in the printing committee.

Benipayo has named Commissioner Resurreccion Borra and Director Estrella de Mesa as his representatives in the reception and verification, and pre-bidding evaluation and pre-bidding award committees.