Death threats prompt poll exec in Cebu to quit post

CEBU CITY — An election officer has stepped down from his post after receiving threats on Sunday afternoon, a day before the May 13 polls.

Lawyer Marchel Sarno received the threats through text messages, which prompted him to vacate his post as chairman of the canvassing board of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Cebu City South District.

The text messages read: “usa ra ka bala (Just one bullet is needed to finish you)” and “tago na lang (You better hide).”

Sarno decided to quit from his post to eliminate doubt and for the threats to stop, said lawyer Veronico Petalcorin, acting director for Comelec Central Visayas.

“Maybe he was suspected of being biased towards a certain political group that’s why he was threatened,” said Petalcorin.

Lawyer Chaunsey Boholst replaced Sarno as chair of the board of canvassers although he remained election officer of Cebu City south district.

Petalcorin said that during the canvassing, Sarno would be assisting Boholst.

The Cebu City Police Office had been directed to look into the incident. “We are already investigating this incident and we have provided security to Sarno,” said Police Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas. (Editor: Leti Z. Boniol)