Comelec exec blames colleagues for delay in SK poll registration

Commissioner Resurreccion Borra of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) accused yesterday four other commissioners appointed by ousted President Joseph Estrada of delaying the issuance of guidelines for today’s registration of voters in the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Borra said Commissioners Luzviminda Tancangco, Mehol Sadain, Ralph Lantion and Rufino Javier have expressed their dissent with some provisions of a resolution which had already been signed by himself, Chairman Alfredo Benipayo and Commissioner Florentino Tuason Jr. last March 14.

"I never said that the preparations would have to wait until the chairman comes home," he said. "I am being misquoted. What I said was that Senior Staff has been required to submit the draft rules of procedure for the SK registration (today) based on the policy guidelines laid down by Commissioners Luzviminda Tancangco, Mehol Sadain, Ralph Lantion and Rufino Javier, for the en banc session on (April 16), when the chairman has already returned from the absentee voting consultative meetings abroad."

Tancangco, Javier, Lantion and Sadain are said to be insisting that the voter registration be handled by barangay secretaries as provided under section 424 of Republic Act 7160, as amended by section 6 of RA 9164.

Comelec Executive Director Mamasapunod Aguam told reporters yesterday the basis of the procedures prepared by his senior staff was the policy guidelines approved by Tancangco, Sadain, Lantion and Javier.

The proposed resolution signed by Benipayo, Borra and Tuason, which would have governed today’s voter registration, had already been discarded, he added.

Aguam said they had no choice but to follow the policy guidelines set by Tancangco, Javier, Sadain and Lantion because they comprise the majority in the seven-member poll body.

Quoting Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Jr., Borra told reporters yesterday the registration of voters is the responsibility of the Comelec under the law.

"It is significant to reiterate that despite section 424 of RA 7160, the registration of SK voters for the 1996 election was already handled by the Comelec," Borra quoted a letter of Lina to Benipayo last April 1.