Cordi PNP chief denies role in missing VCMs at Comelec warehouse

BAGUIO CITY -- The regional director of the Police Regional Office Cordillera denied claims that he, together with police officers, inspected the Commission on Elections warehouse where vote counting machines (VCM) that will be used in the upcoming polls are stored.

Media reports said two VCMs were found to be missing at the warehouse.

An official of the Commission on Elections has questioned the inspection conducted by the PNP officials in one of their warehouses here.

In her Twitter account, Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said no one is allowed to inspect their warehouses without permission.

“Even if they are directors of the PNP,” she added.

Asked if their election officer in Baguio requested the inspection, Guanzon said: “No.”

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Israel Ephraim Dickson, Cordillera police director denied allegations in a statement released to the media on Tuesday.

“The purpose in going to Baguio City was to personally oversee the actual deployment of personnel in relation with election security preparations, Oplan Ligtas Sumvac, and Holy Week alert; in which the influx of local and foreign tourists were expected to rise,” he said. 

Various stories were published by national dailies regarding the alleged inspection of the VCM and the VCM hub done by Dickson.

On April 17, which was Holy Wednesday, Dickson with his staff together with the Baguio City Police Office key personnel did the rounds of the different bus stations, as well as tourist attractions in the city, as part of the observance of the Holy Week, where droves of tourists were expected to arrive starting evening of the same date.

As part of the inspection and with election also nearing, Dickson took the chance to also look at the security deployment of police personnel at the warehouse where the VCMs will be stored pending distribution to different precincts.

“The regional director did not intend to inspect the hub per se but the deployed personnel who were securing the establishment,” the statement said. “It was a just a coincidence that during the supervision, the VCMs were being unloaded and no warehouse supervisor from the Comelec was in sight for a coordination to be made.”

Maj. Carolina Lacuata, Procor information officer said Dickson and the staff were performing a regular police function particularly, especially considering that the Cordillera was on full alert status due to the recent atrocities perpetrated by the communist groups in the region and in some areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Therefore no existing Comelec laws and resolutions were violated in the process,” she said.

Days before, Guanzon took notice of a picture of Dickson inspecting the VCM and other election paraphernalia at the Comelec warehouse in Baguio City which was posted in social media on April 22.

“Why? Did the election officer request PNP,” said Guanzon that time.

On Monday, the lawyer of Otso Diretso Senate bet Chel Diokno asked the poll body to conduct an investigation on the matter.

“We urge the honorable Commission to immediately conduct an investigation, come out with a report and along with it, an assurance to the public that such breach will never happen again,” said Emilio Maranon III in the letter he submitted on behalf of Diokno.

“This incident is a clear breach of the Comelec warehouse’s security and, worse, by its own supposed guards. This should be taken very seriously by Comelec as this incident can cast doubt not only on its independence but on the very integrity of the upcoming polls,” it further read.

Maranon said the visit and access of non-Comelec personnel to what should have been a restricted facility raises a serious concern.

“It is very clear from Resolution No. 10097 that the authority of the PNP is limited to providing ‘perimeter security.’ This would mean that it is limited to securing built fortifications of the storage facility and to keep intruders out of it. It has no custody or responsibility over the VCMs, transmission equipment, and other election paraphernalia. Thus, General Dickson has no business inspecting or being inside the Comelec warehouse in Baguio City,” he said.

The Comelec is now investigating the alleged inspection conducted by the PNP.

“If the police officer went into a Comelec facility without invitation, authorization that is not allowed. They can’t even do that in a polling place. They cannot enter a polling place without the authorization of the Board of Election Inspectors. That’s pretty clear,” Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said in a press briefing Tuesday in Manila.

Jimenez said he asked their field official in Baguio regarding the matter.

“This is just preliminary information but the way I understand it, there was security during the delivery. The police was just photographed observing the process,” he said.

“We really need to know what happened that’s why I’m asking,” added Jimenez.