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Teachers in some Basilan barangays refuse poll duties


Teachers in some barangays in Basilan have refused to serve as board of election inspectors (BEIs) in the 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Monday.

A Balitanghali report on Saturday said the teachers feared for their safety as the elections in two barangays in Tugburan town and a barangay in Akbar are expected to be intense.

Some of the candidates were reportedly related to each other or have long-standing feuds, the report said.

The Basilan police has requested the National Police Commission to deploy additional personnel to keep the areas secure during the elections on Monday.

The teachers were exercising their right to refuse election duties as provided for by the Election Service Reform Act signed in 2016.

It was the first time the provision, which made election duties voluntary for public teachers, is being applied.

Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez had said that the Comelec has a list of replacement officers at the ready in case teachers in some areas would refuse election duties.

He also said trained personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be asked to step in should the replacements be unable to assume their duties.

"Kung hindi parin gagana 'yung mga alternates natin na 'yon, like for some reason, di sila available o kaya ma-disqualify sila kasi may kamag-anak pala silang tumatakbo, meron naman tayong naka-train na elemento na PNP (Philippine National Police) na kung talagang extreme measures ay pwede nating ipasok," he said. —Margaret Claire Layug/ALG, GMA News

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