Comelec Chair George Garcia shows a sample of the electronic ballot, October 11, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday it was eyeing policemen as members of electoral boards in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte in the May polls.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the commission and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) were training about 7,000 personnel from the Philippine National Police to serve in electoral boards.

He made the remark after election officer Bai Maceda Lidasan-Abo and her husband were killed in an ambush in Datu Odin Sinsuat.

“Ia-approve ng Comelec en banc yung paglalagay ng ating mga miyembro ng ating PNP coming from other regions as members of the electoral board, as support staff… Kung saka-sakali yung lahat ng lugar kung saan nangyari yung karahasan,” Garcia said.

“Don’t ever test the will of this commission, don’t ever test our patience, we will do everything necessary just to ensure the people’s voices are heard,” he added. 

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Garcia said he believed that the replacement of slain election officer Abo should be from the Bangsamoro Region.

“Hindi ba dapat coming from the same region na nakakaunawa nung mismong ugali ng bawat isa dun sa rehiyon,” Garcia said.

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He said the Comelec was offering security detail to election officers receiving threats.

The poll body is also studying the possibility of giving emergency risk allowance to its EOs, he said.

“Openly na naming ino-offer dun sa mga election officer sa area at dun sa ibang mga lugar o sa mga lugar na meron silang threats...ang mga security personnel from PNP and AFP. At ginagawan namin ng paraan kung puwede namin silang magbigyan ng emergency risk allowance,” Garcia said. 

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