CEBU CITY – With only five days to go before the electorate select new political leaders, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) here said it is not keen on placing this city and the violence-ridden town of San Fernando in southern Cebu under its full control.
This, despite the pronouncement on Wednesday of the two contenders for mayor here – Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella – that they are amenable to the suggestion to place this city under Comelec control.
Lawyer Jerome Brillantes, provincial supervisor of Comelec-Cebu, said while there are impressions of violence in the two local government units, their respective situations do not satisfy the requirements for placing an area under their full control.
“Ipabutang nato og Comelec control ang usa ka lugar kun ang (We will only place them under Comelec control if the) violence has an economic impact on the locality,” he said in a radio interview.
Violence in a city or municipality is a basis in putting an LGU under the complete control of the poll body “provided that there is an imminent danger due to presence of armed groups or people who are here ready to destabilize or disrupt the peaceful conduct of election,” Brillantes noted.
When Comelec places an LGU under its full control, the Comelec en banc will have to appoint a senior attorney to supervise the conduct of election in the area, he said.
Brillante, however, said the Task Force Cebu of the Philippine Army under Col. Noel Baluyan has deployed two squads of uniformed and armed soldiers to augment the current security forces in the town of San Fernando.
The Comelec official, meanwhile, concurred with Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) chief, Col. Manuel Abrugena, in checking reports that an ambulance that was fired upon by armed men on Tuesday night was used to transport election money.
Brillantes added he has issued directives addressed to Comelec Cebu City South election officer Edwin Cadungog and Comelec Cebu City North election officer Marchel Sarno to investigate the allegations of Osmeña on the presence of armed men harassing his political leaders and barangay officials in the mountain barangays.
For his part, Osmeña said he is requesting the Comelec to take full control of the balloting in this city on Monday.
“Mag-ampo nalang ta no. Ako gikahadlokan dili ako, ang mga tawo ba nga nahimong biktima. Nahibalo ang Comelec niana (Let’s just pray about that. What I fear most is not me, but the people who became victims),” said the mayor in another radio interview.
Labella supported the suggestion to place the city under the election body’s control.
“Uyon kaayo ko niana (I am amenable to that). We feel secured with the presence of the uniformed police conducting checkpoints,” Labella said.
According to Labella, only those who have something to hide are the ones who are afraid of the presence of policemen.
Labella clarified it never crossed his mind to use the police to propel his campaign, dispelling accusations that checkpoints were utilized to harass his contender’s supporters.
“Look, who was using the police before?” he said. (PNA)
