Comelec orders arrest of Bedol

Former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol was ordered arrested by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday after he failed to get a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court.

He will be detained at the Manila City Jail based on the poll body’s commitment order, and fined P1,000.

The whereabouts of Bedol, who is out on bail, is not known.

Last July, the Comelec ordered Bedol jailed for six years for four counts of indirect contempt after he failed to attend a series of canvassings and hearings on the questionable elections in Maguindanao last May.

Acting Comelec Chairman Resurrecion Borra said the Comelec ordered lawyer Alioden Dalaig,  law department director, on Tuesday to prepare an arrest and commitment order for Bedol.

“I would like the report of Dalaig implemented soon because our order was very emphatic,” he said.

“I’m really following this up because I am now the acting chairman, and I want things to be implemented (under my leadership).”

The SC’s TRO “did not come” so they decided to order Bedol’s arrest and commitment in jail, Borra said.

However, Bedol’s lawyer Andrei Bon Tagum, condemned the issuance of an arrest and commitment order against his client because their appeal is still pending with the Supreme Court.

“I heard of that (order) only from you,” he told newsmen.

“I will have to talk to my client about that.  But if it’s true, that would be denying my client due process again.”

The Comelec would only be repeating the injustice it allegedly committed against Bedol, Tagum said.

Bedol has dared the Comelec to sue him for ignoring its proceedings and for illegally keeping election documents from Maguindanao.      – Sheila Crisostomo