PRESS RELEASE
November 5, 2012
Ref: Gel Gerardino, Secretary-General
Contact: comelecemployeesunion@gmail.com
COMELEC Union bewails Enrile’s bullying of a poll employee
The rank and file employees union of the Commission on Elections today deplored Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s mistreatment of an Election Officer in Cagayan during the last day of voters’ registration on October 31, 2012.
“The COMELEC Employees Union deplores the bullying done to Sta Ana Cagayan Election Officer Edna Tacazon by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and his nephew Jose Mari Ponce,” said Mac Ramirez, National President of the COMELEC-EU.
Tacazon, 61, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer over the phone that she got a scolding from Enrile for just “doing her job.” She said Ponce, who is the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority Administrator, also threatened to sue her for refusing to register two women at 8:45PM, way past the 5:00PM COMELEC imposed deadline of voters’ registration.
Tacazon added that Enrile even called COMELEC Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. on the phone to demand to have the Election Officer fired from her post. Before leaving, Enrile allegedly told her: “Ayusin mo buhay mo. Huwag kang mamumulitika (Get yourself right. Don’t play politics).”
“Tacazon doesn’t deserve such treatment; she’s just doing her job. We commend her for standing her ground,” said Ramirez.
Meanwhile, according to Armando M. Mallorca, COMELEC-EU Vice-President for External Affairs, COMELEC employees nationwide were exposed to a lot of pressure and bullying from several quarters, especially from politicians and influential people at the last few days of the poll list up process.
“We need to understand that aside from dealing with thousands of irate last minute registrants, COMELEC employees in the field had to deal with other bigheaded and influential people, among them angry politicians and local leaders who complained about us not having to accommodate all of their constituents, as if it was our fault; when in fact they had more than 16 months to visit us to register but they chose to come to us on the last minute,” said Mallorca.
“So all of the harsh words and scolding that COMELEC employees got during the last few days of voter registration were just unfair. And we weren’t even paid for our overtime services for the month of October!” he added. ###
comelecemployeesunion 
kayo nga pala sa main, half day lang last oct. 31 pero kami dito sa field whole day with all the pressures yet we were not paid for that services.. as if we were “working at our own risks” that more than half day.. sige lang at sana lang ipaglalaban naman kami ng mga superiors natin kapag may mga ganung mangyari..
This is purely an abusive practice of dirty politicians who think all their whims and caprices will be accommodated. They were not able to beat the deadline of filing and why insist on considering their late filing just because they are influential? They are supposed to be the role models why do they break the law? The most important thing to do is to follow rules and regulations so there will be no quarrel, no hurt feelings and no bullying.