Monday, January 29, 2007 Comelec, cops for local control By Linette C. Ramos Sun.Star Staff Reporter
TO ENSURE a swift response to election-related problems, local poll and PNP officials want to have authority over the deployment of civil service and police personnel during the election period.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Regional Director Ray Rene Buac said they will recommend to their central office some changes in the poll body’s policies “so we will be responsive to the needs of the locality.”
At present, the Comelec central office dictates the assignments and movements of police and civil service personnel.
Local Comelec officials and police chiefs cannot assign or pull out their staff without the central office’s approval, which often takes several days, Buac said.
“Whatever movements are necessary, we still have to get clearance from our central office; that is why we are requesting to have the deployment of PNP and civil service personnel taken care of at the regional level,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Buac added that he and Police Regional Office (PRO) Chief Silverio Alarcio Jr. already agreed on the recommendation, but it still needs the Comelec central office’s approval.
“We are requesting that in order to shorten the time to take action on election matters, we’ll have the assignments done at the regional level; but of course, it will still be subject to confirmation of Comelec Manila,” he further said.
Alarcio said that without Comelec Manila’s concurrence, his personnel’s transfer during the election period will not take effect.
The election period started last Jan. 14 and will end 30 days after the May 14 elections.
Among others, the Omnibus Election Code prohibits the transfer of officers and employees in the civil service and the appointment or use of special policemen, special and confidential agents.
Use of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police (PNP), or other law enforcement agencies’ personnel as bodyguards of candidates is also forbidden.
In an interview last Friday, Buac said they could not identify which towns and cities will be declared areas of concern or areas of immediate concern, and those that need additional police personnel, until all candidates have filed their certificates of candidacy.
The Comelec has set March 29 as the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy for local elective positions.
