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Friday, October 10, 2003
Pawnshop returns Comelec digicams
By Karen M. Flores
THE pawnshop that received the three digital cameras stolen from the Comelec office in Naga town returned these to election officials yesterday without asking for payment for their redemption.
Director Salud Aliganga of Comelec 7 said they met with the lawyer and representatives of the branch of the M. Lhuillier pawnshop on Colon St., Cebu City yesterday afternoon where the four digital cameras, which would have been redeemable for P13,000, were returned to Comelec-Naga.
The suspect in the incident, Henry Hamoy, a casual laborer in Comelec-Naga, earlier redeemed the fourth camera for a fee on “pretext” that one of those who robbed him allowed him to take the item back, Aliganga told Sun.Star.
Aliganga said the pawnshop offered to return the three and write off the payment as the company’s loss in the name of “public service” and because the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was able to prove ownership of the three Canon A300 digital cameras that cost P10,250 each.
The cameras are part of the data capturing machines sent to cities and municipalities in Cebu used in the continuing registration and validation of voters.
Comelec 7 immediately took steps on the incident and terminated Hamoy from the service as “emergency laborer.”
Termination
The investigation conducted by Regional Attorney Marshall Rubia found that it was Hamoy who took the four digital cameras from the Naga Comelec office and pawned these in Cebu City.
Aliganga signed the notice of termination dated Oct.8. It said: “Per recommendation of the assigned investigator on your culpability in the loss of the digital cameras issued to the election office of Naga…you are informed of the termination of your services effective immediately.”
Aliganga said she and Rubia “did not believe” Hamoy when he appeared before them and explained how he was allegedly robbed at gunpoint and threatened with being shot if he did not pawn the items.
According to Hamoy, three men, one of them armed with a gun, caught up with him as he was leaving the Comelec office with the four cameras.
He apparently had to take the cameras home as a safety measure because the lock on the steel cabinet in the office does not work and the election assistant who usually secures the items was absent that day.
But Aliganga contended that Hamoy was not authorized to take the cameras home in the first place.
Although they were able to recover the items, Aliganga said they are still filing a case against Hamoy. This is to show other laborers and even election officers and their assistants that those who mess with government property will be dealt with harshly.
In her 39 years with Comelec, she said this was the first time she dismissed anyone from service.
Not blacklisted
Hamoy, who applied to become an election officer, has not been blacklisted but Aliganga said it would be up to him if he would have the face to pursue his application.
Also yesterday, she issued a memorandum to all election officers in Cebu and those in Tagbilaran and Dumaguete cities where data capturing machines (DCMs) are also used to “make extra effort in securing the custody and safety” of the machines and their accessories.
“Please be reminded that the custody of these DCMs and peripherals are your primary responsibility as memorandum receipts on these had been issued in your favor,” the memorandum further said.
(October 10, 2003 issue)
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