Comelec honors fallen, wounded poll workers

THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) on Monday hailed as heroes the poll workers who were killed and wounded in the performance of their election duties.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said there was a pending request before the Commission en banc to “provide financial and other forms of assistance to all the individuals who were killed or wounded in relation to the May 9 elections.”

“The Filipino people owe a huge debt of gratitude to these men and women, who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that the May 9, 2016 national elections were conducted in the most efficient, credible and transparent manner,” Jimenez said.

In a statement, Jimenez said his office had received reports of soldiers killed and wounded while securing the  vote-counting machines (VCMs).

He cited the case of Private First Class Louiden Quebec who was killed in an ambush by suspected communist rebels in Gamay, Northern Samar, while delivering VCMs on May 7. Wounded in the same incident was Private Michael Cagata.

There were election workers and inspectors who succumbed to extreme exhaustion, stress and cardiac arrest while on election day duty, Jimenez said.

On May 10, 21-year-old poll clerk Caren Joy Mediodia Mirana died of extreme exhaustion and cardiac arrest after serving continuously at a polling precinct in Barangay 114 in Pasay City.

Utility clerk Manuel Salgado of the Office of the City Election Officer in Pasay City, died following cardiac arrest on April 22 at the height of preparations for the May 9 polls.