Comelec reshuffles reg’l poll execs as May elections near
>> Wednesday, February 9, 2022
The Commission on
Elections (Comelec) is reassigning its regional directors and officers to
prevent them from becoming close to local politicians seeking positions in the
upcoming May 9 polls.
“It has been a series of reshuffles. I think we started first with the regional directors and this was, I think about more than four months ago. After that, we reshuffled assistant regional directors and then provincial supervisors. I think the reshuffling is still ongoing all the way down to the level of election officers,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said last week.
He said the move is being done every election period and periodically under the law to prevent familiarity between Comelec officials and local politicians.
“This is a standard practice for the Comelec,” Jimenez said.
He said the Comelec looks at the history of the reshuffles for enlightenment and better view of the movements.
“Sometimes when a reshuffle is planned, you have to take into consideration the ability of a person to take over a particular position. That causes the delay, why (the reshuffle) is not yet finished,” Jimenez said.
He said the Comelec is also training assistant regional directors, election supervisors and others to act as regional spokesperson during the May 9 general elections.
“Comelec has begun the work of establishing a regional network of spokespersons. In time for the elections, we are training regional spokespersons coming from the Comelec’s ranks of course. These are assistant regional directors, provincial election supervisors and others who are being given the designation of regional spokesperson,” Jimenez said.
The regional spokespersons were deployed and tested during the mock elections.
“You will see an increasing role for them as the days go by,” Jimenez said.
The Commission on Elections was never intended to be a bipartisan body that balances contending political interests. It was designed to be a non-partisan manager of elections, plebiscites, initiatives, referendums and recalls.
The intramurals among some of its commissioners over the qualifications of ex-senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to run for president in the May 9 elections is now testing the independence of its officials and their capacity to resist pressure and corruption.
“It has been a series of reshuffles. I think we started first with the regional directors and this was, I think about more than four months ago. After that, we reshuffled assistant regional directors and then provincial supervisors. I think the reshuffling is still ongoing all the way down to the level of election officers,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said last week.
He said the move is being done every election period and periodically under the law to prevent familiarity between Comelec officials and local politicians.
“This is a standard practice for the Comelec,” Jimenez said.
He said the Comelec looks at the history of the reshuffles for enlightenment and better view of the movements.
“Sometimes when a reshuffle is planned, you have to take into consideration the ability of a person to take over a particular position. That causes the delay, why (the reshuffle) is not yet finished,” Jimenez said.
He said the Comelec is also training assistant regional directors, election supervisors and others to act as regional spokesperson during the May 9 general elections.
“Comelec has begun the work of establishing a regional network of spokespersons. In time for the elections, we are training regional spokespersons coming from the Comelec’s ranks of course. These are assistant regional directors, provincial election supervisors and others who are being given the designation of regional spokesperson,” Jimenez said.
The regional spokespersons were deployed and tested during the mock elections.
“You will see an increasing role for them as the days go by,” Jimenez said.
The Commission on Elections was never intended to be a bipartisan body that balances contending political interests. It was designed to be a non-partisan manager of elections, plebiscites, initiatives, referendums and recalls.
The intramurals among some of its commissioners over the qualifications of ex-senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to run for president in the May 9 elections is now testing the independence of its officials and their capacity to resist pressure and corruption.
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