MANILA, Philippines?The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed Lintang Bedol, the controversial Maguindanao election supervisor, amid reports that he would surface to commit fraud in the May 10 general elections.

Bedol?s sacking came three years after he made a mockery of his duties, which resulted in all 12 administration senatorial candidates winning in Maguindanao in the 2007 elections.

Besides being dismissed, Bedol was ?perpetually barred from reemployment in the government service,? the commission en banc said in a resolution written by Comelec Chair Jose Melo.

The Comelec also forfeited Bedol?s benefits and retirement package.

In addition, the poll body ordered its law department to file criminal charges against Bedol, who was relieved of his duties in the aftermath of the scandal stemming from the lopsided results of the Maguindanao count for the 2007 senatorial elections.

Election Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said the poll body had heard reports that Bedol was being hidden by a ?powerful family? in Maguindanao.

A source, who declined to be named because of lack of authority to speak about the subject, said: ?Based on intelligence reports, Bedol is likely to resurface before the elections and might operate again. So, we wanted to prevent that. We don?t want anything from the May 2007 elections happening this time.?

The official said news had reached the Comelec that the Ampatuan clan was sheltering Bedol.

Associated with Garci

The Comelec said it would also reshuffle its personnel, including those associated with another disgraced election official, former Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.

Garcillano was accused of colluding with administration officials to tamper with election results in Mindanao to help President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo win in the 2004 presidential race against actor Fernando Poe Jr.

Garcillano has admitted that he talked with Ms Arroyo about the results shortly after the elections while the votes were still being tallied. His telephone conversations with someone sounding like Ms Arroyo was recorded in what is now called the ?Hello Garci? tapes.

?We are looking at reshuffling of Comelec officials all over the country without any specific target,? said Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal.

Larrazabal said some election officers, who have been at their posts for more than four years, were supposed to be reassigned under the law.

Floating status

The Comelec said at least 13 of its field officers had been placed on floating status, including Ray Sumalipao, on charges ranging from simple insubordination to electoral sabotage. Sumalipao was the Comelec director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Some officials, like Bedol and Sumalipao, were said to be connected with Garcillano. Sumalipao has denied this allegation.

The Comelec issued the ruling because of reports that Bedol might be employed by the Ampatuans to tamper with the election results in May.

The Ampatuan clan, an ally of Ms Arroyo, was one of the powerful political families in the ARMM before the massacre last year.

One of its members, Andal Ampatuan Jr., now stands accused of masterminding last November?s massacre of 57 people, including at least 30 media workers, to prevent a rival from running against him in the gubernatorial race.

Poll paraphernalia lost

In a resolution, dated Feb. 9, the Comelec said Bedol failed to ?live up to the norms of conduct required of a public officer to exercise the highest degree of professionalism and commitment to public service? after he failed to submit the municipal certificate of canvass, election returns, statement of votes and summary statement of votes in Maguindanao during the 2007 elections.

Bedol, who went into hiding to evade arrest, was identified as the key figure in the manipulation of votes in Maguindanao.

Under Bedol?s watch, several election paraphernalia were lost. He told officials that it was stolen in his room.

In media interviews afterward, Bedol taunted the Comelec to file charges against him. He also boasted of his firearm collections.

Election Commissioner Lucenito Tagle said the criminal charges against Bedol would include violation of the Revised Penal Code?s Article 226, which penalizes a public officer who removes, destroys or conceals documents or papers officially entrusted to him.

?The commission through the law department will file a criminal case against Bedol in violation of Article 226 of the Revised Penal Code. This will be another case and on top of the cases filed against him,? Tagle said.