Comelec men urged not to be sidetracked by slays

MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo has urged Comelec officials and employees not to be sidetracked by the killing of the poll body’s two legal officials in a span of four months.

“We should not lose sight of our main objectives, which is the modernization (of the electoral system) and the 2010 elections,” Melo said in an interview.

Comelec Law Department head Wynne Asdala was gunned down in Intramuros, Manila last week, barely four months after his predecessor, Alioden Dalaig, was also shot dead near the Hyatt Hotel in Ermita, Manila. Both killings have remained unsolved.

“Important as they may be, they are still side issues insofar as I’m concerned. That’s what I learned in my practice – don’t lose sight of your main objective. Don’t be sidetracked,” he said.

Melo gave assurance that he would continuously coordinate with law enforcers investigating the killings to make sure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

He added that if the family of Asdala would not file a complaint, the Comelec would do so to allow investigators to dig deeper into the case.

Last Friday, Melo admitted that National Bureau of Investigation Director Nestor Mantaring had complained to him that Asdala’s family was not cooperating, making it difficult for the NBI to investigate the case.

Aside from the modernization of the electoral system, Melo also wants pending cases at the Comelec resolved faster.

The newly installed Comelec chief said that when he presides over his first commission meeting on Tuesday, he will ask officials how they can speed up the resolution of poll cases.

“We hope we can resolve all of them because they will be moot in three years (when another election is scheduled to be held),” Melo said. – Sheila Crisostomo