Comelec supervisors in seven cities, provinces ordered to explain ‘missing’ COCs

Comelec building

MANILA, Philippines — Election supervisors in seven cities and provinces were ordered to explain the “missing” certificates of canvass (COCs) that were discovered during vote canvassing by Congress.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) issued the notice to explain to provincial election supervisors of Pampanga, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao del Sur, Sulu, and Cagayan de Oro, and election officers of Mandaluyong, and Manila on Thursday.

“In the canvassing for the votes for President and Vice President undertaken in a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives, it was found that the ballot box from your provinces or cities did not yield the required certificates of canvass. This omission has put into question the professionalism of the COMELEC,” the memorandum, signed by poll body chairman Saidamen Pangarungan, reads.

The concerned election supervisors were given 48 hours to explain “why no disciplinary action should be taken” against them for the omission.

The Senate and the House of Representatives, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), convened Tuesday for the canvassing of votes for president and vice president in the May 9 elections.

The canvassing was deferred a number of times due to missing COCs from the above-mentioned areas.

Citing initial findings, Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco earlier said the missing COCs were placed in a different envelope intended for other positions.

READ: Comelec: ‘Procedural error’ led to missing COCs

Congress nevertheless carried on with their task as NBOC and eventually declared Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as president-elect and Sara Duterte-Carpio as vice presisent-elect.

KGA