ILOILO City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Region 6 has a new director effective today – Jose Nick Mendros whose most recent assignment was as Comelec director of Region 8 (Eastern Visayas).
Mendros replaced Atty. Dennis Ausan who was given a new assignment – new Comelec director of Region 7 (Central Visayas) covering the provinces of Bohol, Siquijor, Cebu, and Negros Oriental.
Ausan, however, clarified yesterday that their new assignments were temporary – only until the midterm elections were over.
They would be returning to their old assignments after the polls, he said.
Temporarily replacing Medros as Comelec Region 8 director is Comelec Region 7 director Rafael Olaño.
The reshuffling of Comelec’s Visayas directors – and provincial directors, too – aim to ensure fair elections, according to Ausan. Some have relatives running for elective posts this May 13 polls, he explained.
Also, said Ausan, Section 44 of Republic Act 8189 (Voter’s Registration Act of 1996) stated: “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.”
Ausan said he was expecting no big adjustments in Central Visayas.
“While the political dynamics in Region 7 may be different from Region 6, Comelec’s work is the same,” he said.
The goal is to ensure that the midterm polls are fair, clean, peaceful and orderly, said Ausan./PN
