Lanao Sur poll execs protest 'arbitrary' replacement

MANILA, Philippines - Election officials in Lanao del Sur on Wednesday decried their arbitrary replacement as Election Registration Board (ERB) chairmen, calling the move “an insult to their competence and a denial of their right to due process."

The ERB will meet from November 26 to 30 to approve or disapprove applications for registration filed during the general registration of voters in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) last July.

In a memorandum to the Commission on Elections en banc, poll officials in Lanao del Sur, led by Lanao del Sur Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Nasib Yasin, said they were “surprised” of their replacement which was contained in the Comelec's minute-resolution dated November 6.

"It is sad to note that the rationale of such plan is unknown to the undersigned personnel and still in quandary thereof, there being no information except through Minute-Resolution," they said.

The Comelec resolution read: "Anent to the plan to deploy Eos from non-ARMM areas to be designated as chairman of the Election Registration Board (ERB) to the two cities and 116 municipalities of ARMM relative to the November 26-30, 2012 ERB meeting, attached herewith is the number of Eos to be sourced out from non-ARMM regions as well as the proposed budgetary requirements."

The disgruntled Comelec personnel cited a provision on Republic Act 8189, or the Voters’ Registration Act, that only the Members of the Election Registration Board that are related to “any incumbent or Municipal elective official within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity” may be automatically disqualified from the ERB.

“Not all the election officers of this province are operating under the aforesaid prohibition. Those affected which are very minimal are acted or being acted by the provincial election supervisor,” they said.