SENATE minority leader Franklin Drilon yesterday took exceptions to a statement made by Commission on Elections Commissioner Rey Bulay that those issuing “public opinion that Comelec is biased or that it would cause elections fraud” will be arrested by the armed forces.
In an interview in Iloilo, Drilon reminded Bulay not to be onion-skinned when being called upon by the public since they are all “public servants.”
“Let us not threaten the people. A plea for an honest election is, nothing wrong with that. It is just a call on Comelec to exercise its duties. There is no basis for the commissioner to threaten those who express this plea. His threat has no place in our system,” Drilon said.
Comelec Commissioner George Garcia, in a radio interview yesterday, said his colleague (Bulay) should practice maximum tolerance.
“Maximum tolerance and understanding should be given to all who will criticize us. That’s the spirt of democracy. We are the most important government agency today, that’s why we need to have more patience,” Garcia said.
Last Friday, Bulay warned that he would not tolerate insinuations or allegations that the Comelec is partisan in the May 9 elections.
Bulay warned that those “issuing public opinion that Comelec is biased or that it would cause election fraud” that he will call upon the armed forces, which he said is now under Comelec control due to the elections, to have them arrested and sent to jail.
He said the poll body determined to hold credible, peaceful, and clean elections.
