Comelec condemns killing of 2 poll officers in Mindanao 

CRIME SCENE Scene of the Crime Operatives from the Lanao del Norte police office examine the bullet-riddled car of Mark Orlando Vallecer II in Salvador town, where he was ambushed and killed on Monday. —PNP Lanao del Norte photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday condemned the separate killings of two acting municipal election officers in Lanao del Norte and Sultan Kudarat provinces, saying both murders were considered election-related.

The Comelec said the death of the acting election officer of Nunungan town in Lanao del Norte on Monday was “not only a crime against a public servant but an assault on democracy itself.”

Mark Orlando Vallecer II, 51, was ambushed by motorycle-riding gunmen while on his car in the town of Salvador, also in Lanao del Norte, on Monday afternoon. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds on the head and was pronounced dead at a hospital in Lala town.

READ: Comelec exec in Lanao del Norte dead in apparent poll-related violence

Vallecer drove ahead of a convoy of vehicles carrying Comelec personnel heading to the Salvador town proper for a conference when attacked.

According to Nunungan Mayor Marcos Mamay, Vallecer received death threats during the conduct of the barangay and youth elections in October last year but had refused to have security escorts.

“Violence has no place in a democratic society. Such acts spread fear, disrupt the electoral process, and undermine the values of justice and freedom that bind us as a nation,” the Comelec said in its statement.

It added: “The commission remains steadfast in its mission to uphold free, fair, and peaceful elections. Violence will not deter us, and those who seek to harm democracy will face the full force of justice.”

The poll body said it mourned the loss of a colleague “who served with courage and integrity,” as it extended its condolences to Vallecer’s family and loved ones.

The commission also said it was in close coordination with law enforcement and “committed to ensuring that the perpetrators of this heinous act are swiftly identified and brought to justice.”

“Measures are being taken to expedite the investigation, and we will work tirelessly to prevent similar incidents in the future,” it said.

Both election-related

In an interview with reporters, Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia said the poll body considered election-related the death of Vallecer, as well as the killing last Saturday night of Janeco Allan Pandoy, the assistant election officer of Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

Pandoy, who was assigned as the acting election officer of President Quirino town, was on his motorcycle and driving along the national road heading to his residence in President Quirino when he was shot on the head by one of two gunmen riding on a motorcycle.

“Whenever somebody from Comelec is injured or have his life taken away, we always consider it election-related even if they say that there might be a personal reason. They will always be referred [in media] as election officer and election assistant, so for Comelec, that’s election related. Therefore, maybe no one has yet to be arrested at present, but it should really be traced that the performance of [their] jobs has something do with the violence done to [them],” Garcia said.

The Comelec chief theorized that disgruntled politicians possibly offended by previous actions of the election officers that are perceived to be favoring a rival camp could be behind the killings.

“Maybe they can’t face their political opponents, so what they do is to hurt our personnel. That’s cowardice,” Garcia said.

He stressed that attacks against Comelec personnel would not cow the poll body.

“When you kill one of our personnel, do you think we would be afraid? We have lots to replace them with. And I will assure that the replacements will be strict and will make sure the election contest is fair in those towns and places,” Garcia added. —with a report from Richel V. Umel