CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 8 May) – There was no irregularity found in the inventory of the election paraphernalia for Cagayan de Oro that went overtime Tuesday night, according to the election watchdog National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).
Nestor Banuag , local Namfrel chief, said the inventory that started 2 p.m. Tuesday and ended at about 5 a.m. Wednesday morning found that all election paraphernalia were “all accounted for.”
“The inventory was done in the presence of Namfrel, volunteers of the PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting) and representatives of the political parties. Nothing was missing,” Banuag said.
Lawyer Dolette Banzon, Comelec 10 assistant regional director, also confirmed the Namfrel findings, saying their office here also found no “irregularity” in the election paraphernalia for Cagayan de Oro’s 277,931 voters.
“Our city office also reported all election paraphernalia were accounted for,” Banzon said.
The Commission on Elections ordered an inventory last Tuesday after watch groups spotted three City Hall employees spiriting four boxes from the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) where the election paraphernalia were stored.
Banuag said Namfrel volunteers and CTO personnel checked all poll forms, envelopes for voting and counting, pens and indelible inks, comparing them with a list provided by the Comelec.
After these items were checked, Banuag said the items were brought to a secured storage room beside the CTO at the City Hall.
“Namfrel and PPCRV installed their own set of padlocks to the room to ensure these (election paraphernalia) will not be pilfered,” he said.
Banuag said the room will be opened on election day on May 13.
