ILOILO City – There would be a reshuffling of regional, provincial and municipal election officers months before the May 13, 2019 midterm elections.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Western Visayas director Dennis Ausan confirmed he would be transferred to Central Visayas.
The revamp of Comelec regional directors would be effected in February 2019, the start of the campaign period for national elective posts, said Ausan.
The director of Comelec Region 8 (Eastern Visayas), Jose Nick Mendros, would be temporarily heading Comelec Region 6, he revealed.
On the other hand, Comelec Region 7 (Central Visayas) director Rafael Olaño would be temporarily heading Comelec Region 8.
For provincial and municipal election officers, the reshuffling may be ordered by the Comelec central office this December or January 2019.
After the midterm polls, the election officers would be returning to their original areas of assignment, said Ausan.
The reshuffling aims to ensure election fairness. Some election officers may have relatives running for public office.
It is also in line with Section 44 of Republic Act 8189 (Voter’s Registration Act of 1996): “No election officer shall hold office in a particular city or municipality for more than four years. Any election officer who, either at the time of the approval of this Act or subsequent thereto, has served for at least four years in a particular city or municipality, shall automatically be reassigned by the Commission to a new station outside the original congressional district.”/PN
