Comelec reshuffle to affect ‘Garci boy,’ 9 other officers

Ten Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional directors, including one supposed “Garci boy," will be affected by an impending reshuffle within the commission, Comelec Chairman Jose Melo said on Tuesday. In an interview with reporters, Melo said lawyer Ray Sumalipao of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) would be moved to Davao. Sumalipao was allegedly a protégé of former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, accused of rigging the results of the 2004 elections to favor the current administration. Melo said the transfer does not mean that Sumalipao was guilty of anything, but added that it had something to do with his alleged involvement in the so-called Hello, Garci scandal. “I’m not saying he is guilty of any shortcoming or malfeasance or whatever, but what I’m saying is the perception of the public is that you are involved there. So as an administrator, I have to transfer you," he said. The Hello Garci scandal refers to the alleged wiretapped conversations where vote-rigging in the 2004 elections was discussed by a woman presumed to be President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and a man presumed to be Garcillano. Garcillano supposedly talked with a “Ray" in the wiretapped conversation. Sumalipao had admitted that Garcillano was referring to him but pointed out that their conversation made no mention of any poll rigging scheme. Melo said aside from regional election directors, provincial election supervisors would also be reshuffled. The Comelec had earlier said they would be reshuffling some 50 election officers to cast away doubts of cheating in the May polls. The Comelec, however, has yet to release a copy of the resolution regarding the revamp. - Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMANews.TV