A RECENT incident involving the storage and transport of election materials for the May 2025 elections has confused Dabawenyos, particularly political candidates and their supporters.
On April 4, two wing vans were seen delivering election materials to a private residence in Dumanlas, Buhangin, prompting an investigation by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO). The materials were later moved to Tagum City on April 6, before being returned to the DCPO headquarters in Davao City on April 7.
According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), this movement was part of a planned deployment of 37 Starlink Satellite Kits and solar panels for Davao City. These were provided by iOne Resources Joint Venture (iOne JV) in partnership with Ardent Networks Inc. (One JV), starting April 7.
The memorandum stated that the deployment would begin at the Comelec provincial offices in Davao del Norte, with the materials being transported to the DCPO warehouse in Davao City. A convoy would escort the deployment team from Davao del Norte to the Davao City border, specifically to the DCPO.
Public confusion
“Naglibog mi, asa man gyud ni paadto (We’re confused, where is this headed?),” a netizen commented on a news report by a media outlet. “Why store in a residence? I think it is illegal,” another netizen wrote.
Meanwhile, Mags Maglana, a candidate for Davao City's first district representative, expressed concern over the discovery of election materials in a private residence. She warned that such incidents could undermine public trust in the election process.
“There is growing apprehension that the exercise of the people’s right to freely choose their elective officials is at risk, particularly in areas such as the Davao Region,” Maglana stated. She also raised alarms about negative election practices, including vote-buying and misuse of state resources.
The incident began when a barangay administrator from Rosalina 3 tipped off authorities about the alleged election materials stored at a residence in Purok Santo Niño, Dumanlas.
Upon inspection, the DCPO found boxes containing solar panels and Wi-Fi transmission equipment, which were believed to have come from Comelec Manila.
The homeowner explained that the materials were temporarily stored at their residence due to a relative's involvement in the project.
DCPO spokesperson Police Captain Hazel Caballero-Tuazon clarified that the homeowner’s daughter-in-law had won the bid for the project, and the equipment was stored there because of difficulties in securing a proper warehouse.
Clarification
Comelec responded by stating it saw no irregularities regarding the storage. Lawyer John Rex C. Laudiangco, Comelec's spokesperson, clarified that the materials would be moved by April 15, 2025, and are solely intended for election transmission purposes, not for ballot reading or counting.
"Ito ay walang Election Program o Software na makakaapekto sa paggamit ng mga Automated Counting Machines at Consolidation and Canvassing Systems, pati na sa kabuoan ng Election Management System (These devices will not affect the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) or the overall Election Management System)," he said.
In response to the incident, Comelec instructed iOne JV's Field Operations Group Executive Director, Rafael B. Olaño, to transfer the materials to the proper storage facilities under the supervision of Comelec personnel and the Philippine National Police (PNP). The commission also underscored the importance of transparency to ensure the integrity of the election.
"We have public transparency policies in place to allow the public to verify information concerning the upcoming election and prevent the spread of misinformation," Laudiangco said.
Comelec-Davao clarified that iOne Resources had failed to coordinate with them regarding the storage location. Assistant regional director lawyer Gay Enumerables said that while iOne JV is a legitimate contractor, the storage issue arose due to the company's difficulty finding an appropriate facility.
“That was a legitimate delivery; they just made a mistake with the warehouse,” she said, noting that iOne did not inform Comelec about their difficulty in securing a proper storage location.
Enumerables also noted that the homeowner was unaware of the implications of storing election materials in their residence during an election period when anything linked to Comelec could raise suspicions.
She expressed sympathy for the homeowner, explaining that it would have helped if iOne had informed them in advance. She added that if a warehouse, whether private or public, had been identified, they could have inspected it and advised against using that particular location.
To address public concerns about potential fraud in the 2025 elections, Enumerables said the equipment delivery, originally set for April 15, was moved up to resolve the issue quickly. She reiterated that iOne is a legitimate Comelec contractor, with the only error being the choice of an inappropriate warehouse.
Ongoing probe
DCPO Director Police Colonel Hansel Marantan added that while Comelec requested their office to guard the items, their investigation will continue.
“We were requested to provide security for the transfer of some of the paraphernalia to Davao del Norte, and some were brought here. Any issues or glitches regarding that are more appropriately addressed by Comelec, not us, as we are only providing security. However, we have recorded the incident in the blotter,” he clarified in a media interview.
When asked if he was informed by the agency before the cargo arrived, Marantan said he only became aware when a concerned citizen reported it. DEF