Cops nab 3 who claimed to be Comelec reps and wanted to inspect ACMs
The remaining batch of automated counting machines from South Korea. (Photo by Commission on Elections/Facebook)
MANILA, Philippines — Three individuals posing as employees of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), and who were planning to inspections on automated counting machines (ACMs) in Laguna, were arrested by the police.
This report comes from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday.
The Comelec said based on police reports, the persons claimed to come from the Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila and were supposedly members of “Task Force Kontra Bigay.”
“Batay sa police report, ang tatlong suspek ay sakay ng Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) na may nakadikit na COMELEC Task Force stickers at car decals papuntang Silangan Elementary School sa Santa Cruz, Laguna na nagpakita ng identification cards bilang pagkakakilanlan at Memorandum mula sa COMELEC “Task Force Kontra Bigay” na parehong tangan ang lagda ni COMELEC Senior Commissioner Aimee P. Ferolino,” Comelec said in a press statement.
(Based on the police report, the three suspects were on board a Sports Utility Vehicle with COMELEC Task Force stickers and car decals going to Silangan Elementary School in Santa Cruz, Laguna, and they showed identification cards and Memorandum from the COMELEC “Task Force Kontra Bigay” bearing the signatures of COMELEC Senior Commissioner Aimee P. Ferolino.)
READ: Comelec files rap vs vice mayoral aspirant over poll manipulation videos
The Comelec emphasized that the poll body does not authorize the plan to inspect the ACMs in the school for the elections.
“Ang mga dokumentong ipinakita ng mga ito ay hindi mula sa COMELEC Committee on Kontra Bigay at hindi lehitimong nilagdaan ni Commissioner Ferolino,” the Comelec noted.
(The documents they showed did not come from the COMELEC Committee on Kontra Bigay and were not legitimately signed by Commissioner Ferolino.)
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia also clarified the Task Force Konta Bigay no longer exists as it has already been replaced by the Committee on Kontra Bigay.
He also said the poll body has been on the hunt for the individuals who are planning to interfere with the elections.
“Hindi po kami basta basta papayag na lang lalo’t may nababalitang nagbebenta sa buong bansa na kaya raw nila allegedly na gawan ng paraan ang eleksyon, kayang ipanalo basta magbayad ng ilang milyong piso,” Garcia said in an interview at the National Printing Office in Quezon City.
(We will not let this pass, especially when we receive reports that there are individuals who peddle [services] nationwide, claiming that they can rig the elections, make a candidate win so long as the candidate will pay millions.)
Garcia also said that the Comelec main office will coordinate with local Comelec offices if an authorized employee is sent to them.
“Ngayong walang alam ang local Comelec sa pagdating allegedly galing sa main Comelec, nangangahulugan na mga impostor, peke ang dokumento, at mayroon silang reason at purpose kung bakit sila andyan,” Garcia observed.
“Now that the local Comelec is not aware of the arrival of the individuals allegedly coming from the main Comelec, it means that they are impostors, their documents are fake, and they have a reason and purpose why they are there.)
READ: CIDG: 3 nabbed for extorting P90-M to rig local poll in Cagayan
In another instance, three individuals reportedly claimed to be information technology specialists connected with the Comelec.
They were arrested by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for offering to rig the local elections in Cagayan in exchange for P90 million.
