Comelec probes possible unlawful police inspection of its Baguio facility

The Commission on Elections  (Comelec) is investigating a possible breach of its Baguio City facility housing vote counting machines for the May 2019 polls by a police officer, Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said Tuesday.

Guanzon was referring to a photo taken in Baguio City which has been going around on Twitter.

“Comelec Regional Director Jane Valeza informed me that she is investigating at her level,” Guanzon told GMA News Online in a text message.

“I will also request that this matter be discussed in our Commission En Banc meeting on May 2,” Guanzon added.

In an earlier tweet, Guanzon said the police officer was not given permission by Valeza when he entered the Comelec facility alongside a representative from a logistics supplier.

In a separate news conference on Tuesday, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez also issued a warning that police officers are not allowed to enter Comelec facilities without permission from the poll body.

“There was a picture of the VCMs, a representative of the forwarder (supplier) and a policeman. Kung pumasok ang pulis na hindi alam ng Comelec, bawal iyon. But for now, it is hard to say na walang involvement ‘yung Comelec diyan,” Jimenez told reporters.

“If a police officer went into a Comelec facility without invitation or authorization from Comelec, yes, that [inspection] is not allowed. They cannot even do the same thing in a polling place without the authorization of Board of Election Inspectors. That is clear,” Jimenez added.

He then appealed to the public to hold their judgment pending the Comelec’s investigation into the matter.

“There is a danger in concluding too quickly on the basis of a photograph. Kaya kailangan muna naming malaman. Nagtatanong pa ako,” Jimenez said.

“If there is something wrong, it has to be discovered. At this point, all we really have is a picture,” Jimenez added. —KG, GMA News