BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera office of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) started to implement a partial reshuffle of the various election officers as part of the ongoing preparations for the upcoming enforcement of the election ban relative to the conduct of the May 12, 2025 mid-term elections.
COMELEC-CAR) regional director Julius Torres will remain in his post while assistant regional director Vanessa Roncal will serve as the concurrent Provincial election Supervisor of Benguet as former Benguet Provincial election Supervisor Elenita Julia Tabangin was reassigned to the regional office.
Mountain Province Provincial Election Supervisor Ricardo Lampac will serve as Kalinga’s Provincial election Supervisor while Kalinga Provincial election Supervisor Dexter Cawis will take the place of Lampac in Mountain Province.
Initially, Ifugao Provincial election Supervisor Ricardo Bolintao will remain in his current position awaiting further orders from the poll body’s central office
Apayao Provincial election Supervisor May Rachel Belmes, who was the former Provincial election Supervisor of Abra, and Abra Provincial election Supervisor Nick Jacob, who was the former Provincial election Supervisor of Apayao, will also remain in their respective positions pursuant to the orders issued in July last year.
City Election Officer John Paul Martin and Tabuk City election Officer Reenan Solbita were also directed to remain in their respective positions while awaiting further orders from the poll body.
The Comelec will be implementing the election period starting January 12, 2025 pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations where various election-related activities of aspirants and their supporters are prohibited.
The reassignment of various municipal election officers will be enforced soonest, especially if the incumbent election officers have relatives that are aspiring for elected positions in their areas of assignment for the upcoming mid-term polls.
The Cordillera has always been generally peaceful in the previous conduct of the national and local elections considering that the people are peace-loving and value the importance of harmonious working relationships admits political differences that only transpire during the conduct of political exercises.
The status of the various election officers will still depend on the situation in their respective areas of assignment as the conduct of the May 2025 mid-term election approaches considering the need for the poll body to uphold the safe and secure conduct of the political exercise.
One of the prohibited activities during the declared election period is the carrying of firearms outside residences, hiring, transfer and suspension or dismissal of government officials and employees among others.
The Comelec is still evaluating the various areas in the different parts of the region that will be placed under its control to avoid the occurrence of untoward election-related violence and incidents that may cast doubts in the integrity of the polls. By Dexter A. See
