Pimentel fears cover-up in Comelec probe

By Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News

Posted at 10/28/2010

MANILA, Philippines - A former senator fears there might be a cover-up in the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) investigation on problems that hounded the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 25, since it is investigating its own personnel.

In a news forum, former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said there is a tendency for the Comelec to protect its own people who may be liable for problems during the elections, particularly the delays in the delivery of election paraphernalia.

He believes the powers of the Comelec must be amended so that it won't have to investigate its own people.

"Ngayon, if a Comelec personnel violates any provision of the law, he cannot be investigated by other departments," he said. "Ang mag-iimbestiga, Comelec pa rin, so ang tendency is to cover up for their people."

Pimentel cited anomalies during the May 2010 automated elections in his home province, Cagayan de Oro, where certain election paraphernalia were found in a garbage dump.

"I brought this to the attention of the Comelec," he told reporters. "Unfortunately, nothing has been heard from the Comelec on this issue."

Pimentel said the Comelec must now make sure that "heads will roll" after Monday's fiasco.

"As soon as Chairman Melo gets back from his vacation in Hawaii, I suppose he should tackle this issue immediately," he said.

The Comelec has already formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the delays in the delivery of election paraphernalia to certain areas for the October 25 polls.

For his part, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez noted that the poll body is an independent constitutional body.

"As such, it is important that it not be subjected to politically charged investigations. Only thing is that commissioners are impeachable officers according to the Constitution so (they) can only be removed by impeachment," he said.