Mentors pass up poll duty

Over 800 teachers are expected to be unable to serve as local electoral board members in the September 14 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as the prospect of violence likely deters them.

“At this moment, there are now 839 public school teachers who probably won’t be able to come this Monday (today) for various reasons,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Erwin Garcia said on Sunday.

Garcia, however, learned that the most common reasons or excuses are not being able to get their desired poll precincts and being related to candidates or nominees of political parties.

“‘I hope no other teachers will add to the 839,” he said.

On the other hand, he assured that more than 2,000 members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are prepared to substitute for teachers who will not be able to participate in the BARMM elections.

“Don’t worry, they are all duly trained,” said the Comelec chief.

Police poll duty

Garcia explained that these PNP personnel have been trained and certified by the Department of Science and Technology to serve as electoral board members.

At the moment, the chairman said the Comelec En Banc has not discussed the possibility of imposing sanctions on teachers who will skip64 the polls.

Garcia pointed out, “Serving in the elections is not mandatory.”

“The law says that serving in the elections is voluntary for teachers,” he cited.

“If they don’t want to serve, then we won’t force them,” Garcia added.