Comelec starts probing error in ballot delivery

BAGUIO CITY—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the Cordillera is preparing a post-election report to help determine who is accountable for the delivery error that cost more than 600 registered voters their right to vote in a village here on May 13.

Instead of the Barangay Lualhati election materials, the board of election inspectors discovered too late that the materials sent to the precinct in the village was meant for Barangay Gabi in Compostela town in Compostela Valley.

In a media forum on Wednesday, lawyer Reddy Balarbal, Comelec Cordillera assistant director, said his office traced the problem to the Comelec committee that packed and distributed election materials, and not to the parcel carrier contracted to deliver them to all precincts.

Balarbal said he spoke to

J. Thaddeus Hernan, Comelec director for administrative services, about the mix-up, which could not be detected until Election Day because of protocol that prevented election officials from opening the sealed materials.

In the same forum, a village official of Lualhati said villagers wanted the Comelec to hold special elections in the village. Norma Bustarde, Lualhati barangay chief, said residents understood that their votes won’t change the outcome of the elections now that Comelec had proclaimed the winning candidates. Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer N. Luzon