MANILA, Philippines- Binabalak ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) na magtalaga ng voting precinct sa Sitio Kapihan, Surigao del Norte, na dating pinangangasiwaan ng kontrobersyal na grupong Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI).
Inanunsyo ito ni Comelec Chairman George Garcia sa voters’ registration event sa Sitio Kapihan, bulubunduking bahagi ng bayan ng Socorro, nitong Huwebes.
“The Comelec is looking at this. Bakit hindi natin kayanin na maglagay ng voting precinct rito sa Sitio Kapihan?” pahayag ni Garcia na ikinatuwa ng mga residente, kabilang ang SBSI members.
“This place has around 2,000 registered voters. Why do we have to make them travel all the way to the city just so they can vote when we can bring the voting here?” dagdag ni Garcia.
Matatandaang pinag-usapan ang Sitio Kapihan matapos akusahan ng mga dating miyembro ng grupo at iba pang residente ang SBSI leadership ng sexual abuse at sapilitang child marriages sa Senate inquiry noong Setyembre.
Mula noon, binawi ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ang Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA) sa SBSI.
”Comelec’s authority is to ensure that voters are able to vote,” giit ni Garcia.
”That no one is left behind. We think there is another issue [involving the area], pero ang Comelec, walang pakialam sa issues na iyon.”
“As far as we are concerned, our fellow Filipinos need to vote, regardless of their income status, where they are from, or what their future would be. If we don’t let them vote, then that would be disenfranchisement, and that would violate our Constitution,” patuloy ng opisyal.
“We won’t be involved in the mandate of other government agencies in the same vein that they should not get involved in our mandate,” aniya pa. RNT/SA
