“Hopefully, I could fill the shoes of (Negros Oriental poll supervisor) Atty. (Eddie) Aba.¨
Leaving for his new post in Negros Oriental yesterday afternoon, Commission on Election (Comelec) provincial supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano hopes he could successfully meet the challenges he will face as he temporarily replaces Aba.
“The challenges are more on security problem since Negros Oriental has an insurgency problem which Bohol, Siquijor and Cebu have already overcome,” said Castillano.
He also has to adjust as he will have to leave his family in Cebu.
The reshuffling of assignments is a nationwide initiative of the Comelec as part of its preparations for the May 2016 elections so as to avoid issues of biases and partiality among election supervisors.
Atty. Eliseo Labaria, Bohol provincial election supervisor, temporarily replaced Castillano effective yesterday afternoon as Cebu province Comelec supervisor.
Castillano told reporters that Cebu province will still be in good hands with Labaria.
Labaria said he first met with the election officers (Eos) and other Comelec personnel to discuss his plans. Labaria and Castillano have already set up programs to ensure the conduct of peaceful and honest elections.
Castillano will be back in Cebu on June 9.
On the issue of candidates undergoing drug tests, Labaria said there is law disallows the practice and so it should not be imposed “since it is out of the context of the law.”
Castillano said it should be voluntarily undertaken by a candidate if they want to prove that they are not drug users.