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HEADLINES
245 bets proclamation suspended
By J.Lo
"Those who committed violations, they are facing disqualification cases as well as suspension of proclamation even if they win elections," Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said in two hundred forty-five candidates in barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) are subjects of orders of suspension of proclamation.
Latest data released by Comelec showed five candidates engaged in vote-buying; 173 in premature campaigning and 37 cases were referred for possible administrative cancellation.
Meanwhile, 30 cases have motions for reconsideration, where 21 are facing disqualification cases, five are nuisance candidates and four have denial of due course or cancellation of certificates of candidacy.
Comelec earlier released guidelines on how Barangay Board of Canvassers will suspend proclamation of winning candidates with order of suspension from poll body, according to Garcia.
"For suspension order to be effective, we released guidelines," he said.
Comelec approved suspension of proclamation of candidates with pending disqualification charges who will win in BSKE.
"Please be informed that during referendum consultation today, commission resolved to approve suspension of proclamation of named respondents with pending petitions to deny due course or to cancel their certificates of candidacy, to declare nuisance candidate and for disqualification until further orders from commission," Comelec Memorandum 231111 read.
In an excerpt attached to memorandum, Comelec en banc reiterated its authority to suspend proclamation under Section 600 of Comelec Resolution 10924.
Section 600 stipulates Comelec division or en banc's authority to suspend proclamation of winning candidate if an unresolved petition has strong evidence.
In Bulacan, 52-year-old businessman who is running for barangay kagawad (councilor) was arrested for alleged vote-buying activity.
Reports reaching Brig. Gen. Jose Hidalgo Jr., regional police director for Central Luzon, said suspect was apprehended in Barangay Bagong Barrio, Pandi, Bulacan and seized from his possession was cash amounting to P35,840 in various denominations, Department of Social Welfare and Development General Intake Sheets and sample ballots.
Suspect was placed under custody of Pandi Police Station for proper disposition and filing of appropriate charges.
Majority of BSKE candidates have complied with election rules, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos.
"Based on our inspection, there were few violations… I congratulate Comelec and local government of Manila Mayor Honey Lacuña for successful campaign as candidates complied with regulations," Abalos said after he joined Garcia in removing illegally placed and oversized campaign materials, particularly those hanging from electric posts or wires, in Barangay 128, Tondo, Manila.
Under rules of poll body, all BSKE bets are required to place their campaign materials, especially tarpaulins, in common poster areas.
At the same time, Abalos reiterated his call for BSKE candidates to observe and abide by all election laws, rules and regulations to ensure successful and orderly conduct of BSKE.
"Let us maintain integrity of election and give voters respect they deserve," he added.
Abalos added candidates who hold bingo games, distribute prizes, conduct hakot system or mass transporting of voters before or during election day and handing out cash are telltale signs of being engaged in vote-buying.
Garcia said of 1.4 million candidates nationwide, only small percentage or around 2,000 have been issued show cause orders so far for illegal campaigning or using illegal campaign materials.
In other BSKE developments, over 1,000 emergency medical services (EMS) personnel and volunteers of Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will ensure safety and well-being of voters in electoral exercise.
Deployment is contained in an agreement signed by officials of humanitarian organization, led by its secretary general Gwendolyn Pang, Garcia and officials from Department of Health (DOH).
Under agreement, PRC will field its EMS personnel and volunteers who will operate first-aid stations, mobile units and ambulance units within premises of polling precincts.
"Every large gathering must provide for standby emergency medical services personnel and ambulances," PRC chairman Richard Gordon said.
Gordon added would be better to have provisions on standby in event of emergencies.
"We would rather have these provisions and not need them, rather than need them and not have them," he said.
During last year's elections, PRC served 8,000 patients nationwide.
Meanwhile, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), country's power transmission operator, has expressed its readiness for BSKE.
NGCP assured public it is all set in its preparations to secure power transmission operations and facilities during polls.
Company continues to conduct vegetation clearing operations along identified critical transmission lines across country to minimize occurrence of grid disturbances caused by obstructions along power lines.
Armed Forces of the Philippines Visayas Command (VISCOM) activated monitoring center at its headquarters in Camp Lapulapu, Cebu City for efficient deployment of security forces and close coordination with troops on ground before and during BSKE.
VISCOM'sElection Monitoring Center (EMC) will have direct line of communication with all established Election Monitoring Action Centers, from regional down to municipal level.
"Election Monitoring Center provides us with direct communication to our units on ground, allowing us to have real-time information and updates on situation, especially during election, this will also ensure smooth coordination between and among security forces and Comelec to expedite our response, in case of any eventualities that may occur during election," VISCOM commander Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo said.
VISCOM said EMC will also facilitate coordination with Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard and Comelec at regional level.
"It will also oversee deployment of security personnel to polling centers in entire Visayas region, monitor other election-related events or incidents, as well as progress of electoral process during election day…likewise, center will also receive and refer to appropriate agencies and AFP units complaints against security personnel manning polling centers," it added.
EMC will be manned by Army, Navy and Air Force officers and enlisted personnel under VISCOM. Center will be open 24/7 to complement Comelec's command and operations center.
Meanwhile, VISCOM also deployed two combat utility helicopters in Negros Oriental to augment ground forces in the province.
"Deployment of two air assets in Negros Oriental is part of our contingency in case any hostile incidents may occur, especially during transport of election returns after voting period… air assets aim to provide immediate close air support to our ground troops who will respond to these incidents," Arevalo said.
VISCOM said two air assets, Blackhawk and Bell helicopter will be pre-positioned at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay City and will be placed under operational control of 302nd Infantry Brigade.
"We don't want to take any chances... we know peace and order situation in Negros Oriental is now stable and very much under control by government…we just want people to feel safe and secure as they cast their votes and ensure upcoming electoral process will be successful," Arevalo said.
Negros Oriental was earlier placed under Comelec control for duration of election period. It has nine election watchlist areas, one is categorized as area of concern due to intense political rivalry, while other eight are categorized as areas of immediate concern due to reported sightings of Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) rebels.
VISCOM said total of 2,719 military personnel have already been deployed in the province , 1,285 are currently conducting focused military operations at outskirt communities in the province, "to deter and prevent CPP-NPA from conducting hostilities that may disrupt electoral process in these areas."
At least 3,800 police officers will secure BSKE in Quezon City.
Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director, said security contingent will ensure no untoward incident will happen in city's 142 barangays during elections.
Based on their records, Maranan said there are no areas of concern in Quezon City.
QCPD's 16 police stations have also provided assistance to Comelec's Oplan Baklas, operation campaign posters displayed outside designated common poster areas are removed.
"QCPD's involvement in this operation highlights its proactive approach in maintaining law and order in Quezon City," Maranan said.
In northern Metro Manila, around 1,615 police officers will be deployed in cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela for elections.
Just like in Quezon City, Northern Police District (NPD) director Brig. Gen. Rizalito Gapas said all barangays in their areas of responsibility are not included in list of areas of concern.
"We have no election-related violent incidents so far," Gapas said .
Gapas is hopeful peaceful situation will stay same on election day.
Quezon City government expressed readiness for BSKE and the commemoration of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day next week.
Mayor Ma. Josefina "Joy" BelmonteAlimurung lauded relevant government agencies for ensuring safe conduct of elections.
"Rest assured local government of Quezon City will continue to support every political exercise, most especially 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections…we thank all government agencies and city hall departments for working together to ensure orderly conduct of local elections in QC," she said.
Local government noted three malls in the city would serve for first time as polling precincts. These are SM City North Edsa in District 1, Robinsons Magnolia in District 4 and SM City Fairview in District 5.
Three other polling centers in District 6 will be among pilot testing sites of automated BSKE 2023 using vote counting machines. These are Pasong Tamo Elementary School, Judge Feliciano Belmonte Senior High School and CBE Town Covered Court.
Local government hired 550 jeepneys to augment 170 city-owned vehicles that will be deployed to provide transportation during distribution and retrieval operations of ballot boxes and election paraphernalia.
These will serve as service vehicles for teachers, poll clerks and other government personnel deployed during BSKE.
Meanwhile, city government activated its Oplan Kaluluwa to ensure safety of those who will visit their departed loved ones different public and private cemeteries and columbaries in the city.
Hundreds of personnel from city's law and order cluster will be deployed near largest public and private cemeteries located in or adjacent to Quezon City, such as Manila North Cemetery, San Juan Cemetery, Himlayang Pilipino, Recuerdo Memorial Gardens, Eternal Garden Memorial Park, Novaliches Cemetery, Holy Cross Memorial Park and Bagbag Cemetery.
Interment operations will be suspended from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 and will resume on Nov. 3.
Cleaning of tombs and graves is allowed only until 5 in the afternoon of Oct. 30.
City's two public cemeteries, located in Bagbag and Novaliches, will be open from 6 in the morning to 9 in the evening from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. Baesa Columbarium will be closed on these dates, except for scheduled cremation.
Private parking will not be allowed in public cemeteries on these dates.
As these developed, charges have been filed against woman who was arrested for vote buying in Navotas City, Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
Maribel Policarpio will face charges for violating Omnibus Election Code provisions against vote-buying and vote-selling.
According to Navotas City Comelec office, local tabloid reported on alleged ongoing vote buying at an old building in Barangay San Jose, allegedly organized by Policarpio, on Oct. 25.
Policarpio was allegedly caught in act of distributing white envelopes containing P300 to registered voters of Barangay Longos in Malabon City.
Authorities also discovered from suspect photocopies of voters' identification cards, as well as other documents indicating names, precincts and relevant voters' information.
Navotas City Comelec, represented by lawyer Gregorio Bonifacio, officially filed complaint against Policarpio on Oct. 26.
According to DOJ, Navatos City prosecutor's office issued resolution stating that it found probable cause to charge Policarpio with vote-buying based on recovered pieces of evidence against her.
Charges against Policarpio have been filed before Navotas City regional trial court.
Meanwhile, fires have damaged two schools to be used as polling precincts in BSKE in Maguindanao del Norte.
Reports received by Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) police director, showed fires hit Ruminimbang Elementary School in Barira town and Central Pilot Elementary School in Datu Odin Sinsuat at around 2 and 4 in the morning.
Nobleza said responding personnel of Barira and Datu Odin Sinsuat police as well as Regional Mobile Force Company immediately secured schools.
Garcia said BSKE would be held "in remaining rooms available."
"Our election officers reported voting can proceed since there are still classrooms available that can be used for elections," he said.
Garcia said fires were "suspicious" because there were no classes.
He said Comelec condemns incident if it was deliberate or intentional.
Comelec said there are 361 areas classified under "red" or areas of grave concern, majority of them in BARMM.
Barangay Ruminimbang, where one of the schools hit by fire was located, is under red category.
Meanwhile, 115 people have been arrested in Western Visayas for violating gun ban.
Police said 109 civilians, three security guards and two law enforcers were arrested.
Eighty assorted guns, 48 bladed weapons, 347 bullets and two explosives were reportedly recovered from suspects.
In Nueva Ecija, 49 unlicensed firearms were recovered and 54 people were arrested from Aug. 28 to Oct. 26, Col. Richard Caballero, Nueva Ecija police director, said.
He said six bladed weapons were also seized.
Local sectors were pleased over deployment of 18th Scout Rangers Company in Basilan for election security duties and other peacebuilding projects in view of Oct. 30, 2023 BSKE.
Brig. Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of Army's 101st Brigade and representatives of different sectors in Basilan together welcomed with symbolic arrival honors Scout Rangers from Bulacan as they alighted from boat that ferried them Zamboanga City to Lamitan City Port.
"Their presence is important to joint peace and security programs of Philippine Army, Basilan Provincial Peace and Order Council, and local government units in this province," Luzon told reporters.
Richard Falcatan, in-charge of communications team of Basilan governor's office, said local Muslim and Christian communities were elated by deployment in the province of 18th SRC.
Falcatan said business blocs in Basilan were elated too, even ready to help push 18th SRC's civil-military relations activities after synchronized barangay and SK elections.
Lt. Gen. Steve Crespillo, commander of Western Mindanao Command, said 18th SRC shall also help Luzon and all units under him carry out WestMinCom's campaign to reintegrate into mainstream society former Abu Sayyaf members who have returned to fold of law.
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