Comelec to probe ‘sabotage’ in delay of poll paraphernalia

The Commission on Elections will look into possible sabotage in the late delivery of poll paraphernalia that caused delays in the conduct of barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections in many parts of the country last Monday. But Comelec law department head Ferdinand Rafanan admitted there are many other factors they have to address, saying that Monday's polls showed there is much room for improvement. "Mas maganda tingnan natin yan. Eh kung merong ganyan talagang kailangan managot sila (Still, it would be best if we pursued that possibility. If there is indeed sabotage, those behind it must be made accountable)," Rafanan said in an interview on dzBB radio. He also said they will look into the questionable "personal delivery" by some Comelec personnel of election paraphernalia. Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle added they will look into why at least one of four forwarders failed to deliver election equipment on time. "Only one forwarder fouled up. The others had [achieved] 100-percent delivery," Tagle said in an interview on dwIZ radio. But Rafanan said it is up to the Comelec en banc to decide on when to start the investigation. Rafanan said the Comelec may start asking its Packing and Shipping Committee on why the delivery was delayed in many areas. "Despite their assurances na makakahabol naman ang delivery ano ang nangyari? Bakit di binigay ang lahat sa forwarders, ang election paraphernalia? May report sa field dumating ang forwarders pero kulang-kulang, ang kulang-kulang binigay for personal delivery ng ilang empleyado," he said. (Despite the unit's assurances the paraphernalia will be delivered on time, what happened? Why there are field reports that some of the paraphernalia was set aside for personal delivery by some employees?) Rafanan admitted there is much room for improvement, including the "delayed" start of preparations for the Oct. 25 elections. He said preparations started only in August, when they could have started in June or July, shortly after the automated national elections. "One factor was that there was no effort to prepare in June and July. We have to improve the system. It is hard to make judgments at this time," he added. For his part, Tagle admitted the Comelec did not foresee delays in delivery of election equipment. "Di namin inaasahan yan. Handa kami sa lahat except sa pag-deliver (We never expected problems in delivery. We were ready for everything except coming up with safeguards against delays)," he said. — LBG, GMANews.TV