VOTERS were reminded not to smoke inside polling precincts following a Commission on Elections (Comelec) order prohibiting cigarette smoking in all precincts on election day, May 9.
Acting provincial Comelec supervisor Eliseo Labaria said they may find it difficult to enforce the order because of their limited personnel. They have yet to receive an official copy of the order, though.
“Let’s see how we can implement it. There are lots of voters and we have limited personnel. The polling centers are big and we cannot assure that we can monitor everything that happens in our precincts,” he said.
Labaria said police officers cannot be tapped to enforce the order because they are prohibited from going within a 30-meter radius from the polling precinct.
He said it would also be difficult for BEIs to enforce the order themselves since their main function is to oversee the whole voting process in the precincts.
Labaria also said supervisors and personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) cannot be expected to cover every inch of the polling precincts.
Labaria said it is up to the people to avoid smoking without being reminded to do so.
He said lighted cigarette butts that are improperly disposed of can cause fires especially because of the prevailing intense heat.