Poll appointment ban starts

MANILA, Philippines - With the approaching barangay elections, President Aquino is now restricted from appointing new officials or ordering a revamp in the Cabinet.

In a resolution, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that appointing an officer of any government office, including government-owned and controlled corporations, whether permanent or casual, would be illegal.

According to the commission, Mr. Aquino is prohibited from making new appointments in any government post within the election period for the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.

The prohibition covers the hiring of any new employee as well as transferring of posts, creating new positions, suspending any elected official and granting salary increases. It runs from Sept. 25 to Nov. 10.

After being linked to jueteng operations, Puno offered last week to tender his resignation upon Mr. Aquino’s return from the United States.

The Comelec said it “shall not grant the authority unless it is satisfied that the position to be filled is essential to the proper functioning of the office or agency concerned.”

Violation of the resolution shall be an election offense, which carries a penalty of one to six years’ imprisonment as well as removal of the right to vote and be voted to public office.

Meanwhile, the Comelec said it is ready to place under its control areas that are projected hot spots so as to ensure peaceful barangay and SK elections.

In a resolution, the Comelec said it “may place under its immediate and direct control any political division, subdivision, unit or area affected by serious armed threats.”

But until this time, the Comelec said it has yet to identify any election hot spot or area of concern for the forthcoming elections.

Gun ban violators

Police arrested 10 people for violating the gun ban as imposed by the Comelec in connection with the barangay and SK elections.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Raul Bacalzo said almost 10,000 police officials in complete uniform are detailed in 1,284 checkpoints nationwide to prevent election-relation violent incidents.

The National Election Monitoring and Action Center said from Sept. 25 to 26, authorities arrested nine civilians and a government employee carrying firearms with exemption from the Comelec.

Bacalzo said with the implementation of the gun ban, permits to carry firearms outside the residence are suspended and only police and military personnel, who are on-duty and in complete uniform, are allowed to carry firearms.

“We are calling on the public not to bring their firearms outside their residence as the police and military authorities would set up checkpoints starting Saturday,” said Bacalzo.

Police said no election-related violent incidents were recorded on the first day of the election period for the barangay and SK polls.

Reorientation of voters

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) will help the Comelec in reorienting voters on the manual system of voting to be used in the barangay and SK elections.

In an interview, PPCRV chairperson Henrietta de Villa said there is a need to reorient the voters on the manual system of voting because an automated voting system was used in the May 10 polls.

“We need to reorient them on the manual system of voting. They might have forgotten it,” she said.

De Villa also urged voters to bring “kodigos” or lists of their preferred candidates. - With Helen Flores and Cecille Suerte Felipe