Probe into fraud in bgy, SK polls sought
CITING allegations of fraud, anomalies and irregularities, a veteran lawmaker is seeking for a congessional inquiry in the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).
Deputy Minority Leader and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman has filed House Resolution 1497 urging the concerned committee to look into alleged instances of fraud, anomalies and other election irregularities that took place in Basilan and in many parts of the country.
“Mahirap dedmahin ang napakaraming alegasyon ng irregularidad, pandaraya at pananakot noong nakaraang barangay elections. Dito lamang sa Basilan, madaming insidente ang naiulat sa social media na hindi naa-address ng mga kinauukulan,” Hataman, former governor of the now-defunct ARMM, said.
“Lagi na nating problema ito, hindi lamang sa barangay at SK elections. Dapat ba nating bisitahin na ang batas dahil parang walang nadedemanda o nakukulong pagdating sa pandaraya, pananakot at irregularidad tuwing eleksyon,” he added.
The prevalence of these alleged instances of fraud, anomalies and election irregularities is very alarming as it will cast doubt on the integrity of the election and endanger the lives of the electorate, according to Hataman.
“With the nearing 2025 national and local elections, as well as the next 2025 barangay elections just around the corner, there is a need to investigate these allegations of electoral malpractices to prevent their recurrence by crafting new legislation, or amending and strengthening existing ones, as may be necessary,” he said.
The resolution cited reports that election officers of the Commission on Elections and members of security forces were even the ones involved in anomalies and illegal activities during the barangay and SK elections held last October.
The resolution said in the Municipality of Maluso in Basilan, all members of the Electoral Board in all clustered precincts in Barangay Samal Village allegedly attempted to transfer the location of the polling place at 7:30 in the morning from the Comelec-designated polling center to another area without the authority from the Commission En Banc, the sole authority who has the power to cluster precincts and designated polling center.
Another instance occurred in Barangay Bubuan, Municipality of Tabuan Lasa, where the voting stopped before noon because the voters had already fled the polling place due to the alleged presence of armed men surrounding the entire polling place/elementary school.
In another town in Barangay Landugan, Municipality of Lantawan, several masked men wielding high-powered firearms allegedly entered the polling place, took away the ballot boxes and ballots, and returned the same later in the day, all filled out.
The resolution noted that these allegations of irregularities and anomalies did not only happen in Basilan, but in other places in Mindanao.
“In another area in Mindanao, a video was taken where an army officer was seen appearing to be in the act of interfering with the tasks of the Electoral Board by calling them one by one and asking them to do certain acts that are already beyond such officer’s mandate or jurisdiction,” the resolution said.
