It is now final that the displaced residents of sitio lipit in barangay Poblacion are now to vote in a precinct in barangay San Rafael. The local Commission on Election (COMELEC) officer Mrs. Gaudelia Agpalo reiterated that although there has been a move by our legislative body to retain the displaced residents from their former voting centers, she has to comply with the orders of her superiors. She also disclosed that only court order could make such action to change the voter’s lists she already submitted and finalized at the later part 2003.
And due to clamor of the concerned residents, our local executive headed by our mayor, Hon. Armando V. Abad, asked the intervention and invited the Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Joel Gines to act on this matter. Last January 22, 2004, Atty Gines attended the said dialogue with the Sitio Lipit residents together with the local executives as well as the barangay councils of Poblacion headed by Barangay Captain Juanito Vergara, Jr. The COMELEC Supervisor assured the residents that it is only on this May election that they will cast their vote in a precinct in barangay San Rafael. He promised that their transfer to their former voting centers would be acted as soon as possible. He further explained that due to the SB Resolution No. 48 filed at our local legislative body, his office now has a legal basis to act immediately regarding the petition of the displaced residents. He also added that the four Kagawads residing in this area would not be affected technically, because the four councilmen were elected prior to this action. The same resolution also persuaded the Municipal Assessor’s Office to correct the maps and records in their offices regarding the location real estate properties.
The open forum between the residents and the COMELEC went smoothly not until one resident expressed her grievances of the action of the local COMELEC officer of their transfer. The verbal arguments between Mrs. Agpalo and other residents went out of control due to some harsh words uttered by both parties, which lead to the walkout of the local election officer right in front of her immediate superior, municipal and barangay officials. The mayor immediately ended the discussion to avoid further unavoidable instances. Atty. Gines and the mayor summoned Mrs. Agpalo for a closed-door meeting regarding her actions.
All is well temporarily for the displaced residents, anyway the voters this coming election will elect National, Provincial and Local officials, which will affect whom to choose this coming election.
The total registered voters in our municipality are 4519. The Municipal COMELEC also disclosed that a total of 91 Overseas Absentee Voters are registered from different countries abroad. This means that these absentee voters can elect their chosen candidates for the Presidential, Vice-Presidential and Senatorial level at their respective Philippine Embassy of the country where they are currently residing.
