All systems go for the barangay, SK polls

THE Commission on Elections in Central Visayas (Comelec-7) is all set for today’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, with few violence and threats reported in the region.

Comelec-7 Director Veronico Petalcorin encouraged Cebuanos to go out and exercise their right to vote, assuring them that all security forces are in place to ensure safe and clean elections.

Petalcorin said they are expecting an 85 percent turnout of voters.

Central Visayas has about 4.7 million registered voters for the barangay polls, the bulk of whom, or 2.9 are from Cebu City and province; while another 1.7 million have registered to vote in the SK election, about 1.1 million of whom are in Cebu, according to the records from the Comelec regional and Cebu provincial offices.

Petalcorin said the Comelec does not see good reasons for the voters not to exercise their right to suffrage especially that the barangay polls had been postponed twice in the past.

“The people always have the option to cast their vote and be represented. The previous postponements of the elections should not be a reason for them to boycott,” Petalcorin said in an interview with Cebu Daily News.

Sacred duty

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma also appealed to voters to discern well before they cast their votes.

“Over and over again, we remind people of the sacredness of this event (election). This is the privilege in a democratic country to choose our leaders and I hope we really do our sacred duty,” Palma told Cebu Daily News.

The 68-year-old prelate will also be casting his vote this morning at the Cebu City Central School as the Archbishop’s Residence is under Barangay Cogon-Ramos.

As to whoever will be hailed victors after today’s polls, Palma challenged them to serve with the welfare of the people in mind and not their own interests.

Petalcorin also urged the voters to stand firmly on their choices, saying this could even earn them the respect of the candidates they did not vote for and would thus lessen tension on election day.

Petalcorin likewise reminded voters that if they sell their votes, they might become targets of hostilities from opposing candidates. .

“Kung palingpaling sad ka, dawat-dawat pod ka, pasalig ka nga mobotar unya di diay, hadlokon gyod ka. Pero kung di ka magpahaylo og bisan unsa, you will be respected for that (If you keep on changing your choice, has received money from everyone, and promised all of them your vote, you could end up getting threats. But if you could not be bought, you will be respected for that),” Petalcorin said.

Security

Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, meanwhile, have been put in place in their assigned polling places across the region in time for today’s election.

Petalcorin said that though the policemen could not stay within the 50-meter radius from the polling centers, they needed the police to be as close to the polling centers as possible so that they could readily respond to alarms.

He said the members of the Electoral Board were instructed to maintain a secure communication line with their assigned PNP personnel to make sure that all incidents will be reported immediately.

The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) has also installed an Election Monitoring and Action Center dedicated to receive reports from polling places and other places for any election-related incident.

The police also reminded voters and candidates to observe the two-day liquor ban, which is in effect until midnight of today.

In Mandaue City, policemen will be escorting the members of the electoral board who will be claiming the ballot boxes and official ballots early morning today.

While there is no barangay in Mandaue City placed under the election watchlist, the police are paying a closer look into the city’s six barangays where political rivalries are intense.

The Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) has confiscated 10 loose firearms since the Comelec gun ban began on April 14.

In Cebu City, City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) head Garry Lao also reminded barangay tanods (village watchmen) not to let themselves be used in political activities during the election.

Cosap, which is the assigned office to look after the affairs of barangay tanods, reminded the tanods that they could be dismissed from service if they show partisanship in today’s election.

Lao said the tanods should remember that their task is to help the PNP in maintaining the peace and order and that they should not act as aides of incumbent officials.

Weather

Meanwhile, voters can expect a fair weather today but they were still reminded to keep an umbrella on hand for the anticipated light rain shower during the day.

Vhan Singson, weather specialist of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in the Visayas, said that only isolated rain shower and partly cloudy skies can be expected during the election day.

Singson said today’s temperature would be around 25 to 33 degrees Celsius. /with PIT COMM INTERN MARTHY JOHN LUBIANO AND CORRESPONDENT NORMAL V. MENDOZA