Prelate won’t face poll board

JESUIT Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro is sending in his stead parish-based lay monitors to face a Congressional board tabulating votes in recent presidential polls.

The Congressional board summoned the prelate on May 28 to turn over four election computer flash cards found on a garbage heap soon after the May 10 election.

Some board members have called for a detailed investigation and examination of the cards by IT specialists, fearing they could have been used to commit electoral fraud.

The summons to the Board of Election Canvassers session at the House of Representatives was “welcome,” Ledesma told UCA News.

However, “there is no need for me to attend because it is the PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting) which knows more about the facts,” he said.

Asked why the flash cards were turned over to an archbishop, a poll monitor said they could not be turned over to the Commission on Elections after several groups accused election officer Gina Sabio of “gross negligence” in safeguarding election materials and called for her removal.

PPCRV Cagayan chairman, Father Nathan Lerio told UCA News he would inform national PPCRV leaders in Manila of his archbishop’s request for the board to recognize PPCRV officials as his representatives.

The board of canvassers is tasked with verifying COMELEC voting certificates and proclaiming the winner of the presidential election.

Report from ucanews.com