Lawyer Marchel Sarno, the election officer of the Cebu City South District, said they have received the letter from Mayor Tomas Osmeña requesting the Commission on Election (Comelec) to put Cebu City under their control. CDN Digital photo | Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY—The Cebu City Commission on Election (Comelec) has received Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s letter of request to put the city under Comelec control.
Lawyer Marchel Sarno, election officer of the Cebu City South District, said that the letter arrived on Wednesday afternoon, May 8, 2019 and is expected to be sent to Manila within Thursday, May 9.
In his letter, Osmeña listed nine barangay officials allied with his party, Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan, who were “irregularly” served with search warrants.
Read more: Comelec will take into consideration Osmeña’s request for Comelec control in Cebu City
The list includes Barangay Calamba chief Victor “Jojo” Quijano, tanod Anthony Gingoyon, admin staff Flor Quijano, and kagawad Ramsey Mercado; Barangay Lusaran chief Faustino Partulan, slain tanods Renato Goc-ong and Reynaldo Laguna, and resident Julito Laguna; and Barangay Babag Kagawad Bacarisas.
Osmeña also recounted the separate strafing incidents on the houses of the barangay chiefs of Malubog, Sudlon II, and Sinsin on April 4, and the strafing of Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Franklyn Ong’s showroom in Mandaue City.
Read more: Comelec control possible for Cebu City, but careful evaluation needed
“I believe these are election-related incidents intended to harass my supporters in guise of legitimate police operations. These police have gravely abused their power,” said Osmeña in the letter.
Sarno said that there may be a possibility that Cebu City will be placed under Comelec control since the national office also asked them to submit a position paper on the claims of Senator Panfilo Lacson, Sr. that the Cebu police is meddling in politics.
Read more: Lacson takes notice of Osmeña’s dispute with PNP; tells Comelec to step in
“I believe there is still sufficient time for the national office to place the city under Comelec control. We just don’t know exactly when,” said Sarno.
Sarno assured the candidates that the Comelec is already looking into the issues and will assess properly if there is indeed a need for a Comelec control in Cebu City.
Sarno asked the public to patiently wait for the decision of the national Comelec.
Read more: Lacson to Comelec: Look into cops meddling in politics in Cebu
Placing an area under Comelec control would give the Comelec immediate and direct control of all government employees of the area and full supervision of all government agencies.
An area can be placed under Comelec control if it falls within the following parameters: history of violence in the past election, presence of armed men in an area, rampant use of loose firearms, and history of being placed under Comelec control. /bmjo