Comelec Commissioner George Garcia. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — The disposal of election paraphernalia in a vacant lot in Cavite appears to be a case of human error, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia said Monday.
“Lumalabas nagka—human error na naman. ‘Yang mga boxes na ‘yan ay naglalaman — ang tawag nga nila ng mga teachers daw dito ay — mga basura sapgkat naglalaman ito ng mga envelope na ginamit — ‘yung iba pa nga ginamit nung eleksyon — at the same time meron din po ditong ‘yung mga election returns po ba,” he said on TeleRadyo’s Sakto.
(It appears to have a human error. The boxes contain — as what teachers call it — garbage as those have used envelopes — some were used during the elections — at the same time election returns.)
“Ito pong box na ito ay ito po ‘yung box na naglalaman ng original na balota na gagamitin ng araw ng eleksyon. Wala na pong laman na mga original na balota ‘yan,” he went on.
(These boxes carried original ballots that were used in the last elections. Those disposed of in the lot do not contain original ballots anymore.)
The said boxes and other paraphernalia were picked up by Comelec’s partner cargo forwarder F2 Logistics and were transported to their warehouse in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, said Garcia.
“Ang nangyari po naisama ‘yung mga boxes na ‘yan at meron po kaming mga larawan… habang kinokolekta ng F2 Logistics at pagkatapos naisama nilang nakuha doon sa dapat dadalhin sa Sta. Rosa,” he said.
(What happened is that the boxes were included — and we have photos while they were collecting it — to other paraphernalia which should have been brought to Sta. Rosa.)
F2 Logistics has also been asked to explain.
A video and photos of disposed boxes in a vacant lot in Amadeo, Cavite circulated on social media last week.