The province of Negros Oriental has been included among the areas where votes cast in the May 2013 elections will be included in the recount in relation to the electoral protest filed by former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leni Robredo.
With this development, the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) here, headed by Msgr. Julius Perpetuo Heruela, is gearing up to monitor the retrieval, transport and custody of ballots and related election materials in Negros Oriental.
Monsignor Heruela, who is also convenor of the Diocesan Electoral Board of the Diocese of Dumaguete, of which Namfrel is represented, on Thursday afternoon disclosed that the role of the Namfrel volunteers here is to ensure that the ballots and other election paraphernalia are safely transported from their respective areas to Manila where the recount will be held.
He disclosed that the Provincial Election Supervisor, Atty. Eddie Aba, has communicated with the different election officers in Negros Oriental in the different cities and municipalities to prepare these materials for the poll recount.
According to him, the Commission on Elections here has not yet announced the date for the pick-up and transport of these materials.
Marcos had filed the electoral protest after claiming of being a victim of electoral fraud, and chose the pilot provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental for the ballot recount to prove alleged irregularities.
Monsignor Heruela disclosed that the Namfrel in Manila, through Sec-Gen. Eric Alvia has communicated with him saying that no details are available yet at to the location, guidelines and approval from the Presidential Electoral Tribunal but if it is possible to deploy volunteers for this purpose. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)
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