At least 30 teachers from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao have withdrawn from serving as members of the election registration board (ERBs) for Eleksyon 2025, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia on Thursday said the teachers withdrew from serving as poll workers due to various reasons including existing medical conditions and their relationships to local candidates.
“Meron na tayong mga more or less, mga 30 na mga guro na hindi makakapaglingkod sa Bangsamoro sapagkat may karamdaman o dahil sa kanilang relasyon sa mga kandidato,” said Garcia.
(At least 30 teachers will not be able to serve as ERB members in Bangsamoro due to medical condition or relationships to local candidates.)
“Dahil dito, gagamit tayo ng mga PNP personnel na pamalit sa mga dun sa mga ERBs na hindi makakapagserve sa elections,” he said.
(We will deploy PNP personnel to replace them.)
In April, the Comelec said it has requested at least 4,000 police personnel to serve as ERB members for Eleksyon 2025.
“Ang pinapahanda namin na bilang sa PNP na pwedeng magamit bilang special ERB members kung saka-sakaling hindi makapaglingkod ang mga guro as ERB members ay 4,000,” said Garcia.
(We requested 4,000 PNP personnel to serve as ERB members.)
“Ang nai-prepare ng PNP ay mahigit 9,000. Ibig sabihin, doble sa kung ano ang nai-request ng Comelec,” he added.
(The PNP readied 9,000, at least double of our request.)
Garcia said the PNP started the deployment of its officers after completing their training as specialized ERBs. Guidelines for the deployment of the police personnel were also promulgated by the poll body.
In January, the poll body said at least 7,000 PNP officers will be trained to serve as backup poll workers for the 2025 May polls, replacing teachers who may withdraw as ERB members. They underwent training from March 3 to March 31.
This is not the first time police officers have been deployed as election board members, said Garcia. In 2022, PNP personnel managed the voting process in 175 clustered precincts in Cotabato City due to security concerns.
—AOL, GMA Integrated News
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30 teachers in BARMM withdrew from poll work —Comelec
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