Islamic City of Marawi (31 May)—The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) will deploy its lawyers and tap police trainees to serve in the special elections in Lanao del Sur on June 3.
In its recently-promulgated resolution, the COMELEC ordered the replacement of Elections Officers (EOs) in the seven municipalities of the province where there were failure of elections.
Resolution 8965 provides that Special Action Officers (SAO) consisting of selected officers, preferably lawyers of the commission, shall be assigned as EOs and Chairmen of the Board of Canvassers.
The SAO shall be responsible for the safekeeping and distribution of the ballots and other election paraphernalia which must be done a day before or early morning of Thursday, June 3 in a place designated by it in coordination with the Municipal Joint Security Control Centers, the resolution stated.
It shall also ensure that all sealed and tested precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines are delivered in the polling centers not later than Wednesday, June 2 and turned over to the concerned special board of election inspectors (SBEIs), the resolution further stated.
At the same time, the COMELEC has also deputized Philippine National Police trainees from Regions 10, 11 and 12 to be on stand-by in case there would be shortage of teachers who will serve as members of the SBEIs.
These trainees shall undergo training on the operation of the PCOS machines and the procedures for voting and counting.
The training shall be conducted on site, where they are currently being trained not later than May 31, the COMELEC said.
In a related development, troops from the 601st Infantry Brigade based in Iligan City were deployed to the province to ensure the orderly and peaceful conduct of the special elections.
Colonel Leo Cresente Ferrer, chief of the 601st Infantry Brigade, said the deployment was made to augment the forces of the 103rd Infantry Brigade in securing the coming special elections in the province.
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