Comelec eyes allowing chief to declare areas under its 'control'

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking to allow its chief Saidamen Pangarungan to classify areas under "Comelec control" to fast-track its preparations just over a month before the May 9 polls.

Commissioner George Erwin Garcia, in a Laging Handa briefing Monday, said the matter will be tackled by the Comelec en banc.

He added that if Pangarungan is given the authority to decide on the matter, it will hasten the process by doing away with the prerequisite of a Comelec en banc resolution.

Currently, only the poll body en banc has the authority to place certain areas in the country under Comelec control.

"If we wait for the weekly Comelec en banc meeting, there may be delays in the necessary actions to prevent violence or the heightening of tension in the concerned area," Garcia said.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 10757, any political division, subdivision, unit, or area may be placed under Comelec Control when the peace and order situation in the area may affect the conduct of elections.

For areas to be declared under Comelec control, it must have a history of or current intense rivalry among the contending parties; areas that have been previously declared under Comelec control, or incidence of politically-motivated violence involving aspirants/candidates and/or their supporters.

Other factors that may prompt the placing of an area under Comelec control include the presence of violence that may be facilitated by the employment of private armed groups (PAGs); and the presence of serious armed threats posed by the communist terrorist group (CTG) and/or other threat groups including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the Maute Group, and other analogous threat groups.

The declaration of Comelec Control can be initiated via motu proprio; by the filing of request; or by the filing of direct petition/letter. (PNA)