Comelec to undergo extensive reorganization before elections

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is undergoing an extensive reorganization soon to make sure that there would be no irregularities in the 2010 presidential elections this May.

Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said the poll body has already formed a special committee to take charge of the impending reshuffle of election personnel.

“We have formed a committee composed of two commissioners to undertake the reshuffle of all personnel, including those allegedly involved in the ‘Hello, Garci’ case,” Sarmiento disclosed.

At the same time, Sarmiento called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to exert extra effort for the immediate arrest of former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol.

Sarmiento aired the appeal to the PNP after Sen. Aquilino Pimentel accused the Comelec of promoting to higher posts election officials who allegedly conspired with former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano in rigging the results of the 2004 presidential elections.

According to Sarmiento, all the so-called “Garci boys” would be covered by the reshuffle.

“All personnel will be reshuffled and we hope the Comelec would be able to resolve this (Garci) case in due time,” Sarmiento said.

Site survey

Smartmatic International Corp.-Total Information Management Corp. (TIM) yesterday said 93 percent of the site survey being conducted across the country has been completed.

Smartmatic spokesman Gene Gregorio said they hope to complete the site survey by Wednesday next week.

He, however, admitted that the conduct of the site survey has been delayed due to “some security threats” and problems in transportation arrangements.

Gregorio also claimed that surveyors have encountered difficulties in combing Quezon and Masbate provinces and the Bicol region because of threats from the New People’s Army (NPA).

“In some NPA-infested areas, there were feelers... the surveyors had to cooperate to be able to do their jobs,” he said.

Gregorio said surveyors also needed security escorts in conducting the survey in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, but added that the survey in Maguindanao is 75 percent complete.

For his part, Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal has asked the joint venture to give them a list of problematic areas for the deployment of police and military operatives.

“We informed Smartmatic-TIM that if they have problems with security, they should tell us so that we can tell the PNP to provide them with security,” Larrazabal said.

Gregorio also reported that a total of 25,720 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines have been delivered, including the 7,320 units that arrived last December.

Meantime, President Arroyo yesterday called on city mayors to help ensure peaceful, honest and credible elections.

Mrs. Arroyo made the call as Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno vowed to file criminal charges against politicians who are found to be maintaining private armies.    – With Sheila Crisostomo, Paolo Romero