The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will be filing cases against local government officials who “interfered” in the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in October.
Comelec chair George Garcia said that certain local government officials were found to have “meddled and threatened poll workers” during the BSKE.
“I have called for a meeting to finalize the list of officials who interfered in our election. We need to take this matter seriously, especially since it may happen again in future elections,” Garcia said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.
Garcia said that the list of names will be finalized in the coming week.
“We will not file cases against our teachers, but we will do so against those who would influence or threaten them. They must be held accountable,” Garcia said.
The Comelec chief also said the poll regulator will not pursue criminal charges against teachers who backed out of their election duties.
An estimated 2,350 teachers backed out of their voluntary election day service from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“The interference of an official who has already been elected and is not running for office messes up an election,” Garcia said.
The poll body has already received more than ten complaints against local government officials who interfered in the elections last October 30.