The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered the transport of the ballot boxes of pilot protested precincts by defeated Cebu City Mayor candidate Michael Rama.
In an order dated April 17, the Comelec Second Division has ordered the election officers in Cebu City and the City Treasurer’s Office to make an inventory and to seal the ballot boxes involved in the 168 pilot protested precincts in the election protest of Rama against Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
They were given ten days from receipt of the order to do so.
“(The Commission hereby resolves to) remind the Election Officers and City Treasurer of Cebu City, Cebu, to observe strict measures to protect safety and integrity of the ballot boxes as well as the other election paraphernalia, such as sealing the lid of each ballot box with masking/packaging tapes,” the order read.
After the sealing, the Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor is also directed to deliver the contested ballot boxes to the Comelec Philpost Warehouse in the Port Area of Manila.
Among the precincts included in the pilot protested precincts are those in Barangays Ermita, Camputhaw, Mabolo, Sambag I, T. Padilla, Basak Pardo, Basak San Nicolas, Bulacao, Guadalupe, Inayawan, Calamba, Poblacion Pardo and Punta Princesa.
The order was signed by Comelec Second Division presiding commissioner Al Parreño and commissioners Arthur Lim and Sheriff Abas.
A copy of the order was given by Rama’s camp to reporters on Wednesday afternoon.