COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James Jimenez said Friday that the country’s poll body agrees with President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to prevent any occurrence of violence in the upcoming 2022 national and local elections.
“The President’s call for peaceful elections is a powerful reminder to all would-be candidates and their campaigns, to reject violence,” Jimenez expressed in a statement.
Jimenez said the Comelec do not merely “shares the same sentiments” with Duterte but the public can further be assured that they coordinate closely with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“It should also be noted that, in those instances where violent incidents threaten the integrity of the elections, the poll body has the authority to take such steps as may be necessary to address the situation, including but not limited to the imposition of Comelec control on specific parts of the country,” Jimenez added.
Under Comelec Resolution No. 10481, the poll body has the authority to manifest immediate and direct control and supervision over both national and local officials relative to any political division, subdivision, unit or area, should violence exists during the conduct of the election.
Jimenez’s supporting statement came after Duterte has appealed to make next year’s so-called pandemic elections peaceful, where no violence nor cheating of vote counts would be committed despite the differences of political parties and its ideologies.
In his privilege speech, the Chief Executive underscored that if the public would not cooperate, he might be forced to use military power to ensure that the country’s elections will no longer be marred by several destructive and cheating instances.
(PHOTO CREDIT: gmanetwork.com)