Misinterpretation Mr. Policeman?

May 8, 2010. Three days away from the national election. The people are about ready to cast their votes.

Early today, we wanted to satisfy our curiosity about the overall situation of the city of Iloilo when every candidate seems to be in a frenzy regarding how their candidacies fare. We went for a walk in the newly constructed Ephraim Treñas Boulevard (most popularly known as ‘the boardwalk’) at about 5:45 in the morning.

Joggers, health buffs, lovers and fans streamed through the boulevard towards,
both, the east and the west. It was noteworthy that this day, many of those who were there were wearing something for identity; like a rubber bracelet bearing the name of the presidential candidate and the vice president they support, a t-shirt or just a ribbon similar to the color of their party candidate.

Along the high way, we passed by the orange-clad group walking towards the boulevard. They are the Villar followers. About a hundred meters away, were several vans and some jeepneys decorated with yellow ribbons. These were filled with people wearing yellow t-shirts. Heading the group was an elf truck with drummers and cheerers beating the sneer drums and a big bass drum. They seem to be a jolly group getting ready for a long caravan of Noynoy Aquino supporters. Further on about 50 meters across the street, was another assembly wherein the group wore green. They come in a smaller group yet.

That’s it… we felt the beat of politics somehow. On our way home, we dropped by the Jaro - I Elementary School just for the heck of it. I wished to check and see for myself if the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machine was really in the area already.

In Promulgation dated April 23, 2010 signed by the Commission on Election (COMELEC) Chairman, Jose A. R. Melo and the Commissioners, Section 2 states:

“… For this purpose, upon delivery of the PCOS machines and accessories to the designated polling places, the BEI’s (Board of Election Inspectors) shall receive said machines and accessories for and in behalf of the Election Officer. In no case shall these machines and accessories be left in the said polling places without any security.”

The guard said that the PCOS machines were delivered on May 7th evening yet. Obviously, there was no one guarding the PCOS machines there and the school has only one security guard. According to the man we asked, the table for the PNP personnel supposedly guarding the PCOS which was placed near the gate was taken by the police officer outside the school and placed at a distance calculated to be 50 meters from the place where the machines were allegedly kept.

In another area, Sambag Elementary School, the tanod we asked about the PCOS with told us that they have spent the night just outside the room where these machines were kept to reinforce the policemen assigned to guard there. Moreover, he said that they go on shifts to guard the machines.

What happened in the two areas are contrary interpretations of the Section 4 of the same promulgation that states:

“On election day, security elements shall stay beyond fifty (50) – meter radius from the polling center they are securing except when there is an actual disturbance of the peace and order therein without need of a written BEI directive…”

Later today in Barangay Caduldulan in the municipality of Miag-ao, five PCOS machines were allegedly burned by the members of the New People’s Army (NPA). According to Atty. Elizabeth Doronila, the Provincial COMELEC Supervisor, over Aksyon Radyo, the machines were housed in the Home Economics Building which was burned to ashes at around 3:00 in the afternoon.