Comelec seeks relief of ARMM cop chief

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has passed a resolution recommending the relief of Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao from his post as Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police director for his failure to arrest Maguindanao poll supervisor Lintang Bedol.

Acting Comelec Chairman Resurreccion Borra said they have sent another resolution to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr., asking him to assign another police unit to go after Bedol.

Last August, the Comelec sentenced Bedol to a six-month jail term for indirect contempt for his failure to explain what happened to election documents in Maguin­danao that he had illegally taken custody of and eventually lost.

Bedol appealed the conviction with the Supreme Court, but failed to secure a temporary restraining order, rendering his jail term final and executory.

“We have recommended the relief of Goltiao for his inability to arrest Bedol. Goltiao said that Bedol is just around Mindanao (but then he could not locate him),” Borra told reporters.

Goltiao also snubbed several calls by the poll body to explain why Bedol has remained scot-free.

“We have done our job in so far as Bedol is concerned. We have issued the warrant of arrest. But you know, I’d like to be prudent because (the task of arresting him) belongs to the other sector of our governmental society and (we) have our own job. But legally, constitutionally and administratively we have done our share. But the enforcement to complete the process belongs to another department of government,” Borra added.