Manila Bulletin
Comelec mulls giving poll chief authority to place areas under its control
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is considering empowering its chief, Saidamen Pangarungan, to unilaterally declare areas under "Comelec control" to expedite election preparations.
This proposed measure aims to bypass the usual requirement of a Comelec en banc resolution, which can cause delays.
Commissioner George Erwin Garcia explained that waiting for the weekly en banc meetings might impede necessary actions to prevent violence or rising tensions in specific locations.
Currently, only the Comelec en banc possesses the authority to place areas under Comelec control.
Comelec Resolution No. 10757 outlines the conditions for declaring an area under Comelec control, including a volatile peace and order situation that could impact the election's conduct.
Specific criteria for Comelec control include a history of intense political rivalry, previous declarations of Comelec control, or incidents of politically motivated violence.
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