THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has named Commissioner Aimee Ferolino as head of the newly formed inter-agency panel to handle vote buying allegations ahead of the May 9 synchronized national and local elections.
In an interview with reporters, Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said Ferolino has been assigned as chair of the “Task Force Kontra Bigay,” which would implement the Commission’s mandate to either motu proprio or accept complaints regarding vote buying
“Commissioner Ferolino will be the one to immediately call the meeting of the task force and draft the necessary additional guidelines,” said Garcia.
Garcia said Ferolino was picked by the Comelec en banc because of her extensive experience as an elections field official.
In addition, the poll official said Ferolino is also a fearless official as seen in her role as chairperson of the shipping committee and vice chairperson of the gun ban committee.
“Her experience coupled with her fearlessness will make a good fit for Task Force Kontra Bigay,” he said.
“We have no doubt on her integrity. Her experience as a field official of the Comelec before her appointment is unquestionable. The right woman for the job,” added Garcia.
Aside from the Comelec, other members of the task force include Department of Justice, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine Information Agency, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The task force was formed on the heels of several reports of cash being handed during campaign activities of some candidates.
Justice Secretary Menardo Gueverra said the Department of Justice may actually investigate on its own cases of vote buying but it prefers to wait for a directive from the Comelec.
“The DOJ can investigate vote-buying on its own because vote-buying has a criminal aspect but we’d rather wait for the Comelec directive,” he said.
On Tuesday, Guevarra said the DOJ will form a composite team for the Comelec’s inter-agency task force. The team will be composed of prosecutors from the National Prosecution Service, lawyers from the Public Attorneys Office and the main and field offices of the DOJ Action Center as well as investigators from the National Bureau of Investigation.
In a related development, Comelec chairman Saidamen Pangarungan said the en banc has also decided to recalibrate its rules on issuing gun ban exemption and having security personnel.
In a statement, Pangarungan said: “We recalibrated the guidelines for a more efficient system of issuing certificates of authority.”
Among the amendments is the grant of automatic exemption to justices, judges, and prosecutors, including the Ombudsman.
He said the Commission has also ordered the decentralization of the granting of exemption to the Regional Election Directors and Election Officers. — With Ashzel Hachero
