CEBU, Philippines — Anyone who plans to mess up with the members of the Electoral Board during the conduct of the elections on Monday should think again.
Electoral Board (EB) members or those serving at the polling places actually possess “enormous” powers within the polling center, according to a local election officer.
At a talk with The Freeman, lawyer Ferdinand Gujilde, Cebu Provincial Election Officer, said that the members of the board can have someone arrested if he or she interrupts the electoral proceedings.
“Little do we know, the powers of the Electoral Board inside the polling place are very enormous. As a matter of fact, they have a power to issue warrant of arrest. Anybody who disrupts the proceedings inside the polling place can be ordered arrested by the Electoral Board,” he said.
Aside from that, the EB members can also file an election offense case against violators.
Gujilde said EB members are often harassed by political supporters and watchers without knowing that they can order the arrest of anyone disturbing the conduct of the elections. Gujilde said whatever decision made by the EB members inside the polling place is “final and executor.”
“In other words, the watchers cannot say ‘Can we move for the consideration? Can we appeal?’ Whatever they (EB members) say or decide is already final,” he said.
“Their (EB members) authority inside the polling place is supreme and nobody can replace their judgment not even the election officers,” he added.
A poll watcher is a representative of a candidate or political party that is authorized to be at the polling place to observe the conduct of the election. A polling place refers to the classroom where the voters cast their votes.
Gujilde said the watchers can still relay their complaints but must be in writing.
“If he or she sees something that might be a violation of the law or irregularity, he or she has to file a written protest,” he said.
“They (watchers) can ask clarifications but the moment the question crosses the line between asking and alleging or accusing, that is the time we require them to file a written protest,” he said further.
If a watcher insists, Gujilde said the EB member can ask the police to take the person out of custody or to file an election offense case against him or her.
Gujilde said the EB members have already been instructed to avoid engaging into verbal protests or arguments with watchers.
“We always emphasize that to the Electoral Board to never ever entertain verbal protests with the watchers. There are some instances before that the Electoral Board members are harassed by the watchers… That is not allowed,” he said.
Gujilde underscored that the general rule is that the watchers are not allowed to talk with the EB members. — FPL (FREEMAN)