SECURITY COORDINATION. Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano (center), Comelec Central Visayas acting regional director, in a meeting with Army Col. Joey Escanillas of the 302nd Infantry Brigade and lawyer Eddie Aba, Negros Oriental provincial election supervisor on Thursday (June 8, 2023). The Comelec regional official visited the province for three days to meet with various sectors prior to the June 27-29 public hearings on the proposed deferment of the barangay and SK elections in Negros Oriental. (Photo courtesy of Comelec)
DUMAGUETE CITY – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the public hearings on the proposed deferment of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) in Negros Oriental is open to all but cautioned against politicizing it.
Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, the acting Comelec regional director of Central Visayas, wrapped up on Friday his three-day visit to the province in preparation for the series of public hearings on June 27-29 on the proposed BSKE postponement.
Castillano told the Philippine News Agency that he met with officials of the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army, the Department of Education, the city and municipal election officers, church and other sectoral representatives and other interested parties to coordinate and lay down the groundwork for the public hearings.
Comelec lawyers from different provinces will be conducting the public hearings.
“The sentiments and the data gathered from these public hearings will be passed on to the Comelec en banc to decide on whether there is a need to postpone the barangay and SK elections,” Castillano said.
Aside from the security aspect, the poll body also wants to get the sentiments, recommendations and views of the different sectors, he said.
While everyone is invited, Castillano appealed to the people against adding political color to the public hearings as this is an exercise that would help the province move forward following a series of controversies brought about by the assassination of then Governor Roel Degamo in March.
“We encourage you to participate and get your sentiments (heard) but hopefully this will not be made as a form of political wrangling among yourselves. This is not a political activity and we hope you will cooperate with the Comelec,” he said.
The public hearings are set as a result of calls from the Senate and national government officials to defer the BSKE to avert threats, intimidation and violence following the recent events surrounding Degamo’s death.
On placing the province under Comelec control during the barangay and SK elections, Castillano said this will have to be decided based on the recommendations of the PNP, the Armed Forces and other law enforcement groups on the security and peace and order in the province. (PNA)
