ZAMBOANGA CITY – Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia on Saturday appealed to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to hurry up the decision of circumstances of violence towards election officers.
Garcia made the decision as he met with election officer Aknam Hasim—who obtained blind after being shot whereas he was on his strategy to the Office of Provincial Election Supervisor in October 2021—and the household of Al-Barka, Basilan, election officer Ruayna Sayyadi, who was killed in July 2022.
“Kami po sa Comelec, ‘yun ang gusto kong panindigan na sa ating pamamahala, hindi pupwedeng basta nangyari na lang ‘yon. Kaya nga kanina ang kauna-unahan kong tanong ay kung ano ang kalagayan nila at ang pangalawang tanong kung ano na ang update sa imbestigasyon,” he stated.
“Meron na ba tayong lead kasi napaka-importante, hindi naman pupwedeng basta nangyari lang ‘yon. Sasabihin nila na napaka-powerful ng Comelec. Di ba ang sinasabi nga nila ang chairman ng Comelec ang pinaka-powerful, more powerful than the president during the election period tapos hindi ma-solve ‘yung mga ganitong klaseng mga krimen,” he added.
Garcia stated that these felony acts happen earlier than and instantly after the election.
He harassed that violence towards election officers should not occur once more.
“Hindi rin naman pupwedeng basta lang namin palalampasin yan. Ide-demand pa rin natin sa mga kinauukulan lalong-lalo na sa ating kapulisan na kung pupwede, ‘wag kakalimutan at magkaroon ng direksyon ang ginagawang imbestigasyon kasi otherwise, mangyayari na naman ‘yan at baka yung gumawa sa kanya baka naman ‘yung susunod at ‘yung papalit sa kanya, ‘yon naman din ang gagawan ng kasamaan,” he stated.
“Dapat matigil na ‘yan. Dapat mahinto na yan. Dapat hanggang sa kapatid niyo na lang at sa kanya (election officer Hasim) ‘yung karahasan na ‘yan.”
When requested if there have been any developments in his case, Hasim stated that there is no such thing as a data but on the id of the perpetrators.
Garcia stated they may be certain to deliver these issues to the eye of the high-ranking officers of the PNP, not as a result of they need particular remedy for these circumstances however to offer justice to the households and the election officers who had been harmed.
“‘Yun nga ang patuloy nating pakiusap sa PNP at sa ibang mga enforcement agency na sana mabigyan na kami ng kaliwanagan,” he stated.
Garcia stated election officers shouldn’t be blamed for the outcomes of the polls.
“‘Wag naman po sana ‘yung mga kasamahan namin o kami ang inyong sasaktan. Sana po ay makilala niyo rin na ang eleksyon ay binebenta niyo ang sarili ninyo sa ating mamamayan,” he stated.
“So kung may sisisihin kayo, hindi po yung kumisyon o ‘yung mga tao at kawani dito. Ang sisihin ninyo yung mga hindi bumoto sa inyo o ‘yung mga hindi nagbigay ng kanilang kalooban para sa inyo. Ginagawa lang po ng Commission on Elections ang amin pong katungkulan,” he added.
Garcia then warned those that deliberate to hurt election officers that his management would declare struggle towards them.
“Kung may mga nakikinig man d’yan na nagbabalak ng masama sa Commission on Elections, do not test the present leadership. Do not test the Commission on Elections,” he stated.
“We have all the powers to practically bring the dogs of war [to] your doorstep.” —VBL, GMA Integrated News
