Due to intense political rivalry, cops to serve as poll officers in Cotabato City
Photo courtesy of Radio DXMS
COTABATO CITY — Police personnel will serve as Electoral Board (EB) members here for Monday’s balloting amid intense political rivalry, a police official said.
Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II, deputy regional director for administration of the police in the Bngsamoro region, said that some 500 police personnel who were trained for the job will serve as election officials on Monday.
The police personnel will mainly serve as chairman of every EB, overseeing the operation of vote-counting machines (VCMS) in the city’s more than 100 clustered precincts.
Labra, who is also head of the Regional Special Operation Task Group Cotabato City and Maguindanao, told reporters that the decision to let the police to serve as members of the EBs came after an agreement between the camp of reelectionist Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, her rival Bruce Matabalao of United Bangsamoro Justice Party, and the Comelec.
This came after a commotion erupted in front of the Comelec regional office on Saturday night when supporters of both sides traded barbs, shouting and yelling at each other.
The Comelec was to administer the final testing and sealing of the VCMs when the supporters created noise and prevented the teachers from doing their jobs.
As a result, the final testing and sealing of the VCMs was cancelled.
Labra said police and military personnel transported, with Comelec and warring parties’ consent, the VCMs and election paraphernalia to Cotabato City Central Pilot Elementary School for final testing and sealing.
The tensions erupted after protests over the change of names of EB members that triggered confusion and disagreements.
Three acting city election officers were named and replaced. The latest was lawyer Nasodin Mustapha who replaced lawyer Maadz Ali.
Because of the commotion, Mustapha decided to postpone the final testing and sealing at Comelec-BARMM regional office “while waiting for orders on what to do from Comelec-Manila.”
A car parked in front of the Comelec regional office was damaged when supporters of both parties threw stones and wood.
Cotabato City has 120,221 registered voters.
Brig. Gen Arthur R Cabalona, BARMM regional police director, has appealed to the candidates’ supporters to conduct their activities in a peaceful manner in line with the rules and policies of the Comelec and other laws of the country.
READ: Police beef up security in 6 South Cotabato towns
